Innocence is Only a Perception
by sigmakutie
Summary: Rachel and Santana are friends now and spend so much time together that Finn and Brittany become jealous and suspicious. Rachel assures Finn that its innocent, which it is, until one day it gets to be much, much more. Requested, M for eventual smut.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Innocence is Only a Perception

Rating: T/M

Summary: **Pezberry endgame prompt:** Rachel and Santana are friends as of the Whitney episode and they start getting very close. They spend so much time together that Finn and Brittany become jealous and suspicious. Rachel assures Finn that its innocent, which it is, until one day it gets to be much, much more. Rachel realizes she likes Santana more than she does Finn, and wants to be with her.

A/N: Prompt anonymously requested through Tumblr.

Innocence is Only a Perception

Chapter 1

Santana could barely breath; her chest was heaving and her skin had broken into a cold sweat; her heart felt as though it was beating against her ribcage; she gripped her phone tightly in a vice grip, but her finger was shaking as she tried to punch in the number on her iPhone's dialpad. She had her number memorized, she secretly always had, but she never had a real reason to call without embarrassing herself. She thanked herself for memorizing it though, because before that moment she would have called Brittany and she can't do that anymore.

"Hello?"

"Berry..." Santana's voice was raspy and you could tell that she had been crying.

"Santana? W-what's wrong? Have you been crying?"

"Berry... Rachel... Please come over. I need you." Santana was curled into the fetal position on her bed, clutching the phone against her cheek.

"O-okay, Santana. I'll be right over. Are you hurt? Do you want me to stay on the phone with you until I get there?" There was a lot of rustling on the other end and what sounded like a car starting.

"No, just get here! Hurry the fuck up! P-please! Hurry!" Santana screamed into the phone in annoyance and in pain. She hung up on Rachel so she could wail in peace. Her heart was breaking in her chest and she didn't need Rachel Berry psychoanalyzing her over the phone when she was hurting so badly. She just needed to be held.

* * *

Rachel rung the doorbell about five times in a row before just wiggling the doorknob. It gave and she pushed the door open, making a break for the long, winding staircase. Rachel passed doors and doors and more doors before coming to a skidding stop in front of the door decorated with a big _S_ and _Cheerios!_ Stickers. Throwing the door open, Rachel fund Santana curled up on her bed, clutching her phone in one and and the other fisting her shirt right over her heart.

Rachel took a deep breath to calm herself so she didn't seem frantic when she tried to comfort Santana. "Santana? It's Rachel," she said, walking over to the girl and sitting on the edge of her bed. It was then that Rachel could see just how broken the girl in front of her was. She had tear tracks all down her face and her knuckles were bruised and cut and Rachel just knows what is wrong. "Santana?" She reaches out and brushes the hair in Santana's face away and runs her fingers through it. "Santana? Is it Brittany?" It was. Santana didn't say anything, she just crumpled up more and began to cry... _hard._

A few weeks ago Santana wouldn't have called anyone – okay, maybe Puck. Not Quinn, though, she would have only made it worse – she would just stay in bed all week, smoke a bit of weed and drink herself into a stupor. Now, though, Santana had Rachel. Ever since they did their Whitney duet the two had been virtually inseparable. Brittany had said that that was ultimately the downfall of the epic relationship that was Brittana.

* * *

_Brittany and Santana sat in the viewing room of Santana's spacious home watching some random movie that Santana had picked – Brittany hadn't really been paying attention; she had a lot of things on her mind, namely the girl curled up to her side and watching the movie intently. Brittany loved Santana - there was no doubt about that; she left Artie for her didn't she, and they've been friends for as long as they both could remember – but Brittany felt a distance coming from Santana recently, and Brittany was almost certain that that distance was because of Santana's new-found friendship with one Rachel Barbra Berry._

_Brittany didn't have a problem with Rachel or the fact that Santana was friends with her, in fact she was rather grateful because now she didn't have to pretend to hate the girl with a passion like Santana used to. However, eventually Santana began to want Rachel around constantly and Brittany had hardly any time alone with her and it was beginning to get to her. This moment was the first in a few weeks where Brittany was having quality time with Santana and the entire time she was either enthralled completely by the movie or texting Rachel; either way Brittany was almost nonexistent to Santana._

"_Hey, San?" The girl next to her snapped her attention away from the screen and looked up at her girlfriend – for the first time in about an hour. "Can we, like... _talk_?_

_Santana smiled and reached for the remote to paused the movie on the screen before turning to face Brittany completely. "Yeah, sure, Britts. What's up?"_

"_San, I... I don't know how to say this."_

_Santana's brow furrowed. "Just say it, babe. You know you can tell me anything."_

"_I wanna break up." Brittany says it so rashly that she actually surprises herself and smacks her hand over her mouth as if to push the words back in. She can already see the tears forming in Santana's eyes and she has to resist the urge to huge her and say, 'just kidding!'_

"_W-what?" Santana croaks out. She is completely taken aback. "Why?"_

"_It's just... you like Rachel more than me."_

"_What? No, I don't! You're my girlfriend, Britt! How can I like her more than you?"_

_Brittany has known Santana all her life and knows when Santana has feelings for someone that isn't her. Brittany can tell that Santana has feelings for Rachel, even if Santana herself can't tell. "I don't doubt that you don't love me, Tana, but I know I'm not the only one that you love."_

"_I do _not_ love Manhands!" Santana screeched, "I love you! And the fact that you can't tell that- God! I fought for you! For us! You think I would just fall for someone else when I finally have you?"_

"_But you still have feelings for her, and you can't tell me that you don't because I know you, Santana." Brittany hung her head and tried to reach for Santana's shoulder, but the girl pulled away and jumped off of the couch._

"_No! Don't touch me! You can't touch me anymore!" Santana let the tears fall now, her voice was broken as she spoke, "You wanna break up? Fine! Let's break up! But we aren't friends. Not any more. If you don't trust me with our relationship, then I can't trust you with our friendship." Santana took a step back and turned around so that Brittany couldn't see her face. "Just let yourself out, Brittany. Just go."_

_Santana began to walk up the steps dumbly and listened for her ex-girlfriend to make a move, but she heard nothing until she got into her bedroom. Just before she closed the door she heard Brittany downstairs run out the door and slam the front door shut. She collapsed onto the floor when she heard a car screech away and began to wail, crawling onto the bed and curling into a ball, scrambling for her phone._

* * *

Through sobs and broken speech Santana relayed the story to Rachel who just stayed silent and held the crying girl. "I don't know what to do now, Rachel. We've been friends our whole lives and I've been in love with her for just as long. What do I do now?"

"Shh... It's okay. You have me, so you don't have to go through this alone," Rachel whispered into her ear, holding her head to her chest and stroking her hair gently. "You have me, it's okay," Rachel repeated over and over, rocking the girl in her arms until she stopped crying and eventually fell asleep from the exhaustion of all the sobbing. Rachel moved her gently, gingerly so that she could place Santana's head on a pillow and Rachel just held her until she too fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Innocence is Only a Perception

Chapter 2

Rachel awoke to the sound of _'My Man'_ from Funny Girl coming through her phone. Reaching for it she pressed the answer button and said a greeting through a raspy, sleep ridden voice.

"Hey, Rach," Finn said on the other line, a perturbed tone to his voice.

"Oh, hey, Finn," she said through a yawn. "Is something wrong?"

"No. I mean... kind of. I was supposed to pick you up today. We were going to meet Kurt at the Lima Bean with Blain."

Rachel sighed heavily. "Oh... I'm sorry, Finn, I slept in. I had a long night."

"Yeah, well I'm outside your house now, so if you hurry we can still meet them."

"Oh, Finn, I'm not at home right now," Rachel said.

She heard a frustrated huff come from Finn's end. "What do you mean? I thought you slept in.

"I did. I'm at Santana's," and it was as if the mention of her name seemed to stir her. Rachel untucked herself from beneath her and the blanket she pulled from the end of the bed to cover them in the night. She pulled herself out of the bed and walked into the en suite bathroom to continue her conversation.

"What the fuck, Rachel!" Finn yelled into the phone, "You couldn't have just come home when Satan fell asleep?"

"First of all," Rachel held a finger in the air as if Finn could see it, "you do not talk to me with that tone of voice! Secondly, it was very late and I was tired, so I don't think it would have been very safe for me, your _fiance_, to be out on the roads. And thirdly, don't call Santana that! She is a very close friend of mine and is, in no way, _Satan_. She is actually a very kind and giving person when you get to know her, maybe you'd know that if you'd put more effort in."

"Yeah, whatever, Rachel," Finn said with a scoff. "Just get back here."

"Actually, Finn, I think I'll stay here a little while longer. Santana needed me last night and I feel obligated to make sure she's okay before I leave her," Rachel said, putting her hand on her hip and tapping her foot in an agitated manner.

"Are you fucking serious right now, Rachel?"

"Yes, _Finn_, I'm very serious," Rachel seethed into the phone. "I care very much about Santana and I feel it important to make sure she's okay before I leave her."

"Yeah, well you know what I find to be important?" Finn's whining was beginning to get on Rachel's nerves, "Our date! And our relationship! Kurt is supposed to be helping us with the wedding, Rach! For Christ's sakes!"

"Do _not_ raise your voice to me, Finn Hudson! I'm your fiance, and I love you vey much! We can reschedule with Kurt, you have no idea how many dates and appointments we've missed because you would rather play Call of Duty with Noah and Mike."

"Whatever, Rachel. I don't have time for this right now, we'll talk later. See you at school tomorrow. Bye."

Before Rachel could say goodbye she heard the jingle of the call ended and let out a frustrated sigh.

* * *

Santana was woken up fully by Rachel yelling at Finn – she knew it was Finn because she was using her '_Don't use that tone of voice with me, young man_' voice that her mom uses with her dad and brother – on the phone in her bathroom. She threw the blanket off of her and pulled her legs over the side of the bed, just sitting there while she waited for Rachel to finish. When she heard Rachel let out a sound of frustration she knew she was done and looked up at her as she exited the bathroom.

"Oh, you're up," Rachel said, as if surprised by this. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. Finn was just being..."

"Finn?"

Rachel let out a chuckle, "Yes. He was being Finn. We had an appointment with Kurt this morning and I forgot about it last night when I was coming over here to..." Rachel stopped, unsure if it was okay to speak about it yet.

"Yeah, I get it. Did he start whining about me?"

Rachel chuckled again and moved over to the bed to plop down next to her. "No. Sort of... I don't understand why he hates us being friends so much."

"Because I'm taking you away from him. He hates that he's not the only person in your life anymore," Santana says, resting her head on her shoulder.

"He can be such a baby sometimes," Rachel scoffed. "Honestly, if I didn't love him so much-"

"Do you really love him?"

The question took Rachel aback a bit. "Well... yes," she answered immediately. "Of course I do. I'm marrying him, aren't I?"

Santana's brow furrowed, "But he doesn't want to go to New York. He wants to stay here and run Burt's auto-repair shop."

"Well... yes, but that's because he doesn't know what else to do. I'm sure he'll find his niche when we get to New York," Rachel said confidently.

"You're so lucky," Santana muttered. She looked up and saw Rachel's confused expression. "That you get to go to a beautiful city and get to live out your dreams. I always knew it was gonna happen – we all did – but you're still really lucky." Santana looked back down, muttering, "I don't really have that anymore. Britt and I were going to go to Cincinnati together, but now..." She trailed off, and Rachel didn't pry, just nodded her head and gripped Santana's hand in her own.

"You could always come to New York with Finn and I," Rachel said.

"I wouldn't want to impose."

"Oh, please," Rachel scoffed, "we're so close, Santana. It wouldn't be any different from now."

"It would be a little different... You and Finn would be sharing a bed and... where would I sleep? The bathtub?"

Rachel thought about this. "We could always get a two-bedroom. It's a little more expensive, but we could make it work with the three of us, and our parents."

"I don't know... maybe. But what about school?"

Rachel paused, "Well... you applied to New York schools, right? I think you mentioned that you got into Columbia."

"Yeah, but I already confirmed Cinci U," Santana said.

"I'm sure that my fathers could work something out at Columbia admissions. My Daddy is an alum, and a huge booster."

"I guess. We can talk about it more later, though. Now we better get you back home so that the gentle giant doesn't have a conniption," Santana said with a laugh, and Rachel laughed with her.

The girls got up from the bed and walked down stairs and made a quick breakfast of whole grain wheat and oats with skim milk. Rachel was over so often and so frequently slept over that Santana thought that it was just better to keep some things for her in the house, and she found herself liking Rachel's diet, and decided to become more health conscious – though Rachel has yet to convince her to extract meat from her diet. After breakfast they girls went out to Rachel's car and sped away to the Lima Bean where they would meet Kurt and Blaine.

* * *

Rachel and Santana entered the bustling coffee shop arm-in-arm, giggling and whispering in each other's ears. You'd never know that just last night the two were holding each other, crying into the other's hair; Rachel had that affect on Santana. They made their way over to a sitting area where they spotted the two boys they were looking for drinking coffee and feeding each other biscotti while they talk.

"Hello, Kurt! Blaine!" Rachel greeted the boys with a smile and they both got up to hug her before moving over to Santana, though the hugs they gave were rather tentative and awkward. The boys sat in the cushioned chairs next to each other and held hands across the space while Santana and Rachel were pressed close together on the love seat, though there was plenty of space on either side of them; this proximity and the intimacy that surrounded them did not go unnoticed by Kurt.

When Rachel and Kurt began to talk about the wedding Santana turned to Rachel and said, "I'm gonna go get some coffee, I kind need it after... you know." Rachel nodded in understanding. "Skinny mocha frappacino? No foam?" Santana asked Rachel, who smiled and nodded. The Santana turned to Kurt and Blaine out of politeness and asked them if they were good. They just nodded and Santana walked off.

"Okay, first of all: what the hell? She knows your coffee order? Second of all, what the hell happened last night?" Kurt asked, leaning foreword in intrigue.

"Of course she knows my coffee order, we come here all the time," Rachel explains. "How do you know about last night?"

"Finn called. He said that he wasn't going to be here, but that you might still be. He also said that you two had a fight because you spent the night with Satan over there," Kurt explained, pointing over to the girl in line.

Rachel sighed, putting her head in her hands and mumbling the word _baby_. "Santana had a really hard night so I went to comfort her," Rachel said, leaning foreword like Kurt and lowering her voice to whisper, "She and Brittany broke up."

Kurt and Blaine, both taken aback – literally - by this information, grabbed each other's hands and gasped.

"Oh my gosh!" Blaine exclaimed.

"Why?" Kurt asked.

"Brittany was... _jealous_, I suppose," Rachel answered.

"You _suppose_? Jealous of _what_?" Kurt asked, completely confused.

"I don't think it's a _what_, Kurt," Blaine said. "I think it's a _who_. Am I right, Rachel?"

Rachel just dropped her head and nodded, looking at them through the lashes of her lowered lids.

Kurt gasped again and mouthed out the word, _'You?'_

Rachel nodded slightly again.

Before the boys could get another word out Santana had returned. Seeing their gaping faces she turned to Rachel and said, "You told them, didn't you?"

Rachel looked at her and just nodded with a guilty, apologetic look on her face.

"It's okay, they were gonna find out eventually. I'm kind shocked that they didn't know already," Santana was nonchalant about it as she sipped from her plain coffee with skim milk and three sugars. Kurt, Blaine, and Rachel stared at her for a moment before Kurt shrugged and continued on with his previous conversation about the up-and-coming Finchel wedding.

* * *

A/N: So, I am in a really write-y mood, but I have to do a project tomorrow so you probably won't get a rapid update, but I'll try to do it as soon as possible. Also, for "I Didn't Really Mean It", I'm done with that and will not be updating it mostly because I just wanted to move on, but also because it just feels finished. As for "Imprint" I'm trying to write it, but hetero is not on my mind at the moment and I'm in a very Pezberry mood, but I promise that I will eventually finish it.


	3. Chapter 3

Innocence is Only a Perception

Chapter 3

"You don't understand, Finn," Rachel said as she sat in the passenger seat of her fiance's beat up Volvo.

"The hell I don't!" He yelled, slamming the car into park as they arrived at school. He turned in his seat to face Rachel and resumed the yelling, "I know Santana, Rachel. She's a bitch! She doesn't do anything unless it helps her. She's only your friend because she either wants to humiliate you or use you for something."

"No, Finn, she doesn't want to do either of those things," Rachel argued. "And if you really knew her as well as you claim to then you would know that she's not as self-serving as you perceive her to be."

"That's bullshit," Finn scoffs. "How can you believe that? All she's ever done to you is made your life hell!"

"But we're past that now, Finn. She's my friend and I forgave her for all of her trespasses against me just as she's forgiven me for mine. Part of being in a relationship is being able to forgive each other."

Finn pauses and his brow furrows. "Relationship?" He asks, utterly confused and somewhat threatened by Rachel's slip of the tongue.

"Oh, you know what I mean, Finn," Rachel says, waving her hand. "A relationship of _any kind_ is built on trust and forgiveness."

"You _trust_ her? After everything that she's done?"

"Yes! Why is that so hard for you to understand?"

Finn sighs and turns back to stare out the windshield, "I don't want you seeing her anymore."

There is a tenseness in the air as Rachel pauses. "Excuse me? You don't want me to see her anymore?"

Finn swallows nervously. He knows that tone in Rachel's voice; it's the tone she gets when she's _really mad_, like so mad that she honestly can't believe you.

"What do you think gives you the _right_ to tell me who I can and can't be friends with? You're my _fiance_, Finn, not my _master_ or _keeper_. _Fiance! _You don't dictate who I socialize with nor when I do," Rachel's face was flushed with anger as she spoke to him in a calm voice, yet it was so obvious that just below the surface she was positively _bubbling_ with anger. "I'm leaving now, Finn, and if I were you I wouldn't follow me because I am _quite_ upset with you right now."

With that Rachel unbuckled her seatbelt and grabbed her bag before slamming out of the car and stomping into the school. She was storming up to her locker with a large stride when she was intercepted by Santana.

"Hola, chicka!" Rachel husked out a cold '_hello'_ and stepped around her to her locker. "Uh oh," Santana said, "What'd Boy Wonder do now?"

"How did you know it was Finn?" Rachel asked as she opened her locker and began to sort out her books and homework.

Santana moved to stand next to her friend and leaned her back against the locker next to her. "Because you have your _Finn fucked up_ face on."

Rachel laughed, "I do _not _ have a- I have no such face." She paused. "Do I?"

Santana tilted her head and shrugged, "Kinda."

Rachel sighed in defeat. "Yes, it was Finn. He said that he didn't want me to see you anymore."

Santana let out a loud belly laugh, "What? Are you serious? Okay, his inferiority complex has really hit a new low. No pun intended."

Rachel laughed with her. "I know, right! How ridiculous is that? What exactly is he afraid of?"

Santana stopped and just looked at her. "I-I don't know."

Rachel's brow furrows at Santana's sudden change in mood, but soon shrugged it off when the warning bell rang. "Oh, I have to go. Mrs. Pillsbury wanted to talk to me about some tutoring opportunities that will look good as some last minute things to secure a grant I've been working toward." Rachel placed her hand on Santana's arm, "I'll see you in third period, okay?"

Santana nodded and watched her turn and go striding down the hall confidently. _"Well, shit,"_ Santana thought, _"Brittany was right."_

* * *

The first two periods did not go well for Santana, considering she had Brittany as her lab partner in her first period Chemistry class and Mr. Schuester paired the two up for an exercise. By the time third period came around Santana felt like she may cry. She really needed Rachel.

Upon entering her third period History class, Santana practically sprinted over to the seat next to Rachel. "Worst. Morning. Ever," Santana said.

"Santana? What happened?" As if it registered in her mind, Rachel's expression turned morose to match Santana's. "Oh, Brittany?" Santana just nodded. Rachel reached out and pulled Santana into a compassionate hug. "It's okay, Tana. I'm here for you. If you need to talk to anyone you have me."

Santana quickly wiped away tears that were threatening to fall and nodded her head in understanding. "Thank you, Rachel. I love you."

And then the moment went to shit.

"I knew it! I fucking knew it!"

Rachel whipped her head around and pulled away from Santana so fast that the girl almost fell over. "Finn? What-"

"I knew it! She has feelings for you, Rachel! That's why Brittany broke up with her an that's why she hasn't left your side since that _fucking_ Whitney duet!" Finn began to point accusingly at Santana and glaring at her. The other students in class had begun to stare at them and some had even taken out their phones to record the dramatic moment.

"Finn, you're being ridiculous-"

"Am I? Ask her!" Finn circled the row of chairs and walked right up to Santana, "Hmm? Am I being ridiculous? Or do you really have feelings for my fucking _fiance_?"

"Maybe you should just be keeping a better hold on your girl, Hudson; or keep her satisfied a little better. Maybe then you wouldn't be so worried if she wants to stick around your tiny pecker or not," Santana spat out. The classroom erupted with a unified _'Ooh!'_ and sporadic laughter from some of the girls.

"Santana!" Rachel's scandalized voice came from behind Finn.

"What? It's not my fault that he's so insecure. I mean, who wouldn't be with such a big- sorry, I mean _tiny_ problem?" Santana saw Rachel cover her mouth to keep in a giggle and she knew that she wasn't going to be in trouble later, thankfully.

"Fuck you!" Finn spat before drawing his hand back and letting it land against Santana's cheek, knocking her backward.

Through the haze of just getting hit Santana heard Rachel scream and a resounding meaty smack, as Santana assumed Rachel had just smacked Finn across the face in retaliation. She then felt her head being lifted into a lap and her hair being stroked and Rachel's voice yelling at Finn from above her.

Santana tried to sit back up, but she was pushed down by tiny hands and Rachel's voice saying, "No, Santana, stay down. The nurse is coming for you."

Santana just pushed her hands off of her shoulders and sat up, cursing. "Fuck that shit, I- ow! Fuck!" She touched the back of her head and felt a lump forming there. "Damn, who knew Finnocence had such a strong backhand."

"Oh, Santana," Rachel said, "I'm sorry. I don't know what got into him, he's just being-"

"Finn. He's just being Finn. He's just how he always is, Rachel," Santana said, spitting out her words. "I don't get it, Rach," she said, shaking her head, but only slightly so she didn't hurt her head anymore than it already did. "He treats you like shit, he tries to control everything about you – even down to who you hang out with – and he gets jealous when you pay even a second of attention to someone other than him." Santana stood up with the help of the chair next to her.

"Santana-"

"No. Please, Rachel... don't," Santana shook her head agains and began to move for the door.

"No, wait-" Rachel says as she steps in front of Santana to stop her.

"Rachel! Please! I thought you of all people would be able to respect the drama of a dramatic storm out." Rachel nods and steps aside. "I'll see you in Glee, Rach."

* * *

The rest of the day seemed to drag on for Rachel. Kurt had told her that Santana stayed the day in the nurses office because she didn't want to go home so she could stay for Glee and because she wasn't allowed to go to class so that they could monitor her to make sure she didn't have a concussion. So all of Rachel's classes were rather dull and, because she normally spent her lunch period with Santana, Rachel instead ate in the auditorium to practice her song for the Glee assignment of the week as opposed to eating with Kurt and getting grilled about what happened Saturday night at Santana's.

When Glee finally came after school Rachel immediately sat down next to Santana. Neither one spoke, they just looked at each other and then settled into their seats when Mr. Schue called attention to the class. The entire time, Rachel could feel the yearning gaze of her fiance and afterwards, as Rachel was packing up, Puck approached her nervously.

He greeted Santana next to Rachel packing up as well and then turned back to Rachel, "Hey, Berry. So... how are you?"

"Noah? Can I help you with something?"

"Uhh... yeah. Okay, so Finn wanted me to ask you if you were coming over for dinner at his place tonight for your guys's date."

Rachel's brows went to her hairline at the stupidity of what just happened. "Really?" She asked, turning from Puck, to Finn, and back to Puck again. "No, Noah," she said, her voice raising so that Finn could hear and dripping with discontent, "I will _not_ be attending dinner at Finn's tonight as we had planned." Rachel turned in Finn's direction and looked at him as she continued, "And if he asks why, you can tell him it's because I was not pleased nor amused in the _slightest_ by his actions today, or yesterday, or _right_ _now,_ in fact." She turned back to Puck and finished with, "No, I will _not_ be attending. Instead, I will be having dinner at the Lopez household and I will be making dinner for Santana as a way to make up for my fiance's idiocy today. Tell him _that_, Noah."

Puck replied with a timid, "Okay," and Rachel gave a curt nod with a huff. She turned to Santana and held her hand out to her now smiling friend and they left together, hand-in-hand.

The entire chorus room watched them leave, and when the door slammed shut the all turned to watch Puck walk up the levels and over to Finn's chair where he leaned down to whisper, "She said-"

"I know what she fucking said, ass!" Finn yelled.

The rest of the group covered their mouths to hide their laughter while Puck held his hands up in surrender and backed away slowly.

* * *

A/N: So that was that, next chapter is when... _things_ are going to happen. No smut yet, though, but lots of drama and angst! YAY!


	4. Chapter 4

Innocence is Only a Perception

Chapter 4

Santana and Rachel took Santana's car back to her house but Rachel refused to let the other girl drive, despite the fact that she didn't have a severe concussion – just a slight headache. But, none the less, Rachel snatched the Latina's keys straight from her hands and held them tightly in her hand, refusing to give them back. The girls were laughing the entire car ride to Lima Heights Adjacentabout the absolutely hilarious look on Finn's face at Rachel's excellent performance in the choir room – and Santana didn't mean her singing, although that was spectacular as well, as always.

Rachel found quickly after becoming Santana's friend that the key word in the neighborhood that Santana lived in was _Adjacent_. The neighborhood just south and to the left, across the train tracks separating South Lima and North Lima is, quote-unquote, "the wrong side of the tracks", _not _Lima Heights _Adjacent_. The Adjacent neighborhood was actually quite wealthy, which was probably Lima's best kept secret. The neighborhood was complete with a country club that took up half of the community that included several golf courses, plenty of vacation homes, restaurants, and a pool ground that was more akin to a small waterpark. There was no way that Santana could afford the labels she bought without having some serious dough in her bank account, but the lack of observation of this could be associated with the fact that no one besides Kurt pays any attention to such things.

When the girls arrived at the house and opened the door they immediately headed for the kitchen where they slapped their bags onto the island table and Rachel began to pick through the vegan cookbook Santana had bought when it became clear how often Rachel would be spending dinner at the Lopez house, though Rachel was the only one who ever used it. While Rachel called out recipes that might intrigue Santana, the other girl searched the fridge for something to eat. Upon coming to the refrigerator door Santana found that her father had left her a note – or that he got the housekeeper to leave. She sighed in defeat as she read it, stopping Rachel from rattling off her selections.

"What's wrong?" Rachel asked.

Santana, without pause, read the note allowed, "_Dear, Mijita: I'm working late at the hospital again tonight and I won't be back until late tomorrow afternoon. Your mother is still in San Francisco at her art dealing expo and has extended her stay for another week. Please make sure Marco and Diego get to and from school tomorrow and make sure that you or Susanna is there tonight when Abuelita drops off Marisol tomorrow. Love, Papi._"

Rachel put the book down and walked over to Santana, hugging her from behind. "I'm sorry, Tana. Do you want me to answer the door when your grandmother comes over?"

"No, that wouldn't be a very good idea. She's in this phase where she thinks that every pair of boobs my age is a round that I'm banging them." Rachel laughed to release the tension building between them. "I'll just get one of the twins to take Marisol from her when gets here."

Rachel didn't let go when Santana stopped talking. She knows that whenever her grandmother is even mentioned she begins to ache from the inside out, so Rachel doesn't even loosen her hold until Santana begins to rub her temples and moan in pain. "Oh, is your head hurting you?"

"Yeah," Santana says softly, "it's throbbing a bit. Could you-"She's interrupted by Rachel shoving two ibuprofen under her nose and holding a glass of water out to her, a knowing smile on her face. Santana chuckles a little before taking the medicine in two swift movements.

The girls decide on Vegan Enchiladas and had just begun to prep the oven and chop the vegetables a little after five when the door opens and the sound of cleats on the hardwood floor in the foyer could be heard.

"Shoes off, boys!" Santana yells, and almost immediately the clattering stops and a few seconds later socked feet begin to pitter-patter along the hallway. The twins, Marco and Diego, appear at the opening of the kitchen in their soccer uniforms with identical smiles on their faces. "How are you, _chickos_?"

The boys erupted into a cacophony of noise as they begin to retell their day at school. They tell about how they had a substitute in Math class and how funny they found it when the old bat fell asleep on the desk while the kids were supposed to be doing a worksheet, and about how Sarah Puckerman had tripped them both at soccer practice but they got her back when they were working on their dribbles. They had climbed onto the stools at the island and had eventually just quietly watched the girls chop and stir.

"Why don't you two go get cleaned up and hopefully by the time you're done dinner will be ready," Rachel says when the silence began to gave her chills. Good chills, though – with Rachel cooking and the boys watching and chattering on every so often about their day it felt very... _domestic._ Rachel couldn't say that she didn't like the feeling.

Around 5:30 the boys bounded back down the stairs and plopped back into their previous spots on the stools to watch the girls finish up their cooking.

"Okay, I need you both to start setting the table. Marco, plates and cups, please. Diego, can you get the silverware and napkins? There are four of us, but make sure you get a small plate for Marisol." This set off a new bout of chatter from the boys as they became excited at the mention of their little sister. After the table was set the doorbell rang and Santana turned to the boys and leaned down to say, "That'll be Abuelita with Marisol. Why don't you two go get her?" The boys nodded and ran off to open the door. Rachel and Santana could hear the giggling and bouncing and excited chatter as the boys greeted their grandmother and little sister. While Santana was getting the booster seat for Marisol from the cupboard Rachel had snuck up next to her and took her hand.

"I know how hard it is, Santana. But I'm here, and you know that you have my fathers to talk to if you need. You aren't alone, Santana. The fact that your grandmother can't accept you for who you are doesn't mean that there is something wrong with you, it's just that she doesn't understand." Rachel wiped away a tear that had rolled down Santana's cheek and kissed the now damp area. "She does love you, Santana, but she was raised in a different time and with parents and a society that was ignorant to the freedom of love. It's no one's fault, least of all yours."

Rachel pressed her lips to Santana's cheek again but a throat clearing made them jump apart. There, standing just inside the kitchen, with one twin on each side and five year-old Marisol in her arms, stood Alma Lopez; Santana's Abuela.

"Hola, Santana," Alma said curtly, nodding just as so at her granddaughter.

Santana cleared her throat and squeezed Rachel's hand a little tighter, "Hola, Abuelita. How are you?"

Alma's gaze flickered over to the girl's interlocking hands and they quickly shook them off of each other and put their hands behind their backs. "I am fine, Santana. Diego and Marco invited me to stay for dinner, but I didn't know that you had company over. Perhaps I should go-"

"Oh, no! Señora Lopez, please wait!" Rachel stepped forward and stopped the woman. "I- We made plenty of food. You're welcome to stay." Rachel turned back to look at Santana and said, "Right, Santana?" Santana only nodded her consent.

Alma pursed her lips and nodded. She shuffled the boys to sit at their places and placed Marisol in the seat to the right of the head of the table, next to Alma, where the booster was set down by Santana. Rachel got down a place setting for Alma and smiled at her warmly when she set it down, but she got nothing in return. Santana sat opposite her grandmother at the other end of the table and waited for Rachel to sit down after setting the heaping plate of Enchiladas down in the center of the table.

"Ooh! Rachie, did you make this?" Diego asked excitedly. Rachel nodded at him with a proud smile on her face.

"Looks good! Good, good, good!" Marco exclaimed.

"Good, good, good!" Marisol mimicked.

The twins grabbed their forks and reached for the plate, but didn't get halfway there before they were slapped away by Alma. "Ah ah ah! _¿Qué crees que estás hacienda? _What do we do before we eat?" She scolds, wagging her finger at the boys.

"We say grace," the boys say in unison, hanging their heads in shame.

"That's right. _Aye, ¿Qué están enseñando a estos niños?_" Alma said, shaking her head in displeasure before reaching her hands out to Diego and Marisol.

Marisol, who was preoccupied with her napkin took one look at Alma's hand and dropped the napkin in elation at getting to hold her Abuela's hand. The six of them joined hands around the table and hung their heads in piety. Alma took a breath and began to say a prayer, "_Gracias, Dios, por este alimento y mi familia. Que los guíe a un camino de la rectitud y la bondad y que los aleje de la tentación,_" Alama looked straight across at Santana and Rachel as she finished, "_Amén_."

"_Amén_," the rest of the table said. The boys looked expectantly at Alma and when she nodded her head they dug right into the food.

"Well, that was new," Rachel said. "That was the first time I've prayed at a dinner table since Dad's parents visited that one year for Thanksgiving... that first, last, and _only_ year." She smiled at Santana, hoping to get a smile from her, but Santana went wide-eyed and shook her head, silently telling her not to mention her fathers. Rachel looked down and took a helping of food for herself.

"I'm sorry, but I do not think that I know your name," Alma said.

"Oh, my apologies - where did my manners go – I'm Rachel. Rachel Berry."

Alma noticeably turned her nose up as if she smelled something putrid. "Ah, yes, the Jewish girl that sings like a songbird, but talks like a parrot." Rachel's face fell. "So when you say _Dad_, which one did you mean?"

Rachel swallowed nervously. "T-that would be my... umm... the black one, ma'am."

"And are you not also engaged to be married to that Hudson boy?"

"Y-yes. Yes, I am," Rachel's hands began to sweat and she grasped for Santana's under the table.

"Can I ask then, why it was that you were committing adultery with my granddaughter?"

Rachel was taken aback. "Ad-adultery? I-I don't- I didn't-" Rachel stuttered, "Oh, you mean, when you came in here- the kiss? Oh, no that was just... it was friendly. Santana just had a hard day at school and I was comforting her- Not that I comfort her like that all the time, I just- Umm..." Rachel looked at Santana, panic evident in her eyes. "Santana and I... we're just, just friends. Nothing more. Friends."

Santana looked disappointed and pulled her hand from Rachel's and picked up her fork to eat. Alma seemed pleased with her answer as well as her discomfort and began to eat as well. Rachel, however, only had a few bites every so often as Alma had sufficiently rattled her.

After everyone else was finished Rachel and Santana got up and began to take to food to the sink and wash the dishes. Alma said that she had to go and kissed all of her grandchildren goodnight... all except Santana, who she just nodded at from across the kitchen before turning and leaving.

* * *

It was just after nine, the twins and Marisol had been put to bed, and now Santana and Rachel were lying in the Latina's bed staring up at the ceiling that was covered in the glow-in-the-dark stars Santana had put up when she was twelve – just the same age as the twins. The girls weren't talking; they were just simply lying together and watching the stars above them in the dark in a contented silence.

"Hey, Santana?"

Of course Rachel was always one to break a silence. "Hmm?" Santana acknowledged.

"What did your grandmother say at dinner - during grace? And why was she looking at us the way she was?"

Santana sighed and turned her head to face Rachel. "She said, 'thank you for the food and my family. Please guide them on a path of righteousness and good and steer them away from temptation.' She wanted me to know that she was still not happy with me."

Rachel faced her then, turning completely onto her side. "You have no idea how sorry I am, Santana-"

"Please don't pity me, Rachel," Santana said with a sigh, turning her focus back to the ceiling. "I hate pity, you know that."

Rachel nodded and curled herself into Santana's side. "Santana?"

"Yes, Rachel?" Santana said impatiently.

"I'm really glad we became friends," Rachel said with a smile.

Santana smiled up at the ceiling and turned to Rachel again. "Me too, Rach." Without thinking about it, Santana pressed her lips against Rachel's; but instead of pulling away like Santana thought she might, Rachel kissed Santana back. The two girls held each other and tenderly kissed for at least an entire minute before the thought of Finn even entered Rachel's mind.

"Oh!" Rachel exclaimed as she pulled back, pressing her fingers against her lips in shock.

"Shit, Rach," Santana breathed out. "I'm sorry, I wasn't- I wasn't thinking."

"No, no it's fine," Rachel said, pressing her forearms harder into the bed to push herself up. She hung her legs over the side of the bed and paused, as if contemplating whether to lie back down or get off the bed and leave.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean-"

"Santana, please," Rachel said sternly, holding her left hand up to stop her. The ring on her finger glinted in the light from the street leaking through Santana's window, drawing all of her attention to the sparkling diamond; it made her heart ache and her stomach twist. "I… I have to go. I'll just call my fathers for a ride." Rachel pushed herself from the bed and began to head for the door.

"No, Rachel! Please wait!" Santana crawled to the edge of the bed and hoped down, walking over to Rachel, she took her writs and held it to keep her from walking away. "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. Please don't go."

"Santana…." Rachel gave an exasperated sigh. "Santana, I have to go. I'll talk to you tomorrow." She pulled her wrist from Santana's grasp and touched the girls cheek gently with her fingertips. "I promise," she finished earnestly. Rachel turned on her heel and head downstairs. Rachel needed to think and Santana had to respect that, she was the one that kissed her after all; but that didn't stop Santana from falling back into bed and crying into her pillow when she heard the door close behind her friend – this was the second time in a week someone walked out on her.

* * *

Translations:

_What do you think you're doing?_

_What are they teaching these kids?_

* * *

A/N: How's my writing? Did you understand everything okay? I'm really god you guys are liking this story because I'm really enjoying writing it.


	5. Chapter 5

Innocence is Only a Perception

Chapter Five

Rachel drove herself to school the next morning, opting out of what would have been a very awkward car ride with Finn. When she got to school she immediately headed for her locker, but when she was within sight of it so was Finn just turning into the hall. Turning around sharply she bumped right into Santana.

"Oh, Santana!" She exclaimed, steadying herself by putting her hands on the girl's shoulders while she did the same for herself to Rachel. "Santana..." Rachel began when she regained her balance, "Can we... can we talk?" The girl nodded her head silently and Rachel continued. "Umm... well, after I got home I began to do a lot of thinking. Thinking about everything that you said and-and what we _did_," Rachel blushed at the thought of them kissing, "and I've decided that-"

"Finn Hudson!" The thick Indian accent of Principal Figgins resounded through the hall, drawing the attention of Santana and Rachel where they found Finn just out of earshot of them talking. _"Thank God for that,"_ Rachel thought. Finn, red faced, looked at the girls before huffing in defeat and then walking over to Figgins.

"You too, Sandbags!" Coach Sylvester said behind Figgins, crooking her fingers at the girls. "And bring Yentle with you."

The girls looked at each other suspiciously and followed the adults into the principal's office.

* * *

"_Detention?_" Rachel was aghast! "Detention?" She repeated. She held onto Santana's hand and gaped at Principal Figgins, "That hardly seems fair!"

"Yeah!" Finn exclaimed. Rachel and Santana rolled their eyes at him in unison at his stupidity to think that Rachel was on _his_ side.

"Finn get's _detention_?" Rachel said again.

"I don't understand why it's so hard to understand, Ms. Berry," Figgins said.

"Why? _Why?_ I'll tell you why!" Rachel slammed her palm on the desk, "Santana almost got a concussion! _A concussion!_ A serious brain trauma that could have resulted in serious long-term consequences! I think that Santana's father, as one of the best doctors in Lima, and my father, as one of the best lawyers, might have a problem with a boy backhanding someone, a girl no less, risking giving them irreparable brain damage, and being given _detention_ as punishment!"

"Lawyer? Ms. Berry, there is no need to be irrational," Figgins said, wide eyed.

"Wait, what?" Finn asked, confused by what he thought was Rachel's side switching.

"No?" Rachel asked, "Why wouldn't I? My best friend was _attacked_ and almost _concussed!_ Tell me, Principal Figgins, why shouldn't I get lawyers involved?"

"Wait, Rachel! Wait," Finn said, putting his hand on Rachel's arm, which she snapped away from him quickly and held on tighter to Santana's hand when she felt it slipping from her grasp. "You don't sound like you're defending me anymore."

Rachel tried to suppress a laugh, but giggles slipped through. Santana didn't even try. "No, Finn, I'm not defending you!"

"But... why?"

Rachel's brow shot to her hairline and her eyes bugged out in surprise at his stupidity. Santana just laughed harder. "Why? Did you not just hear me, Finn? You almost concussed Santana!"

"But... she deserved it."

A silence passed over the group as Rachel fumed. "I feel sincerely sorry for the woman that you end up marrying," Rachel said, disheartened.

"What? But that's you," Finn said. He really was stupid.

"Not anymore it's not!" Rachel yelled, taking her ring off and throwing it at Finn. "You, Finn Hudson, are abusive and manipulative, and I'm sorry that I didn't see it before!" Rachel turned to Figgins, "Please, sir, I'm begging you, give him more than just _detention_. Had any other student done the same thing to anyone – whether it be Santana herself, or Noah, or even any other jock – you would have suspended, or even expelled them depending on the degree of damage done and even who it was. But not Finn, and I have to question you as to why you show favoritism to him – why all of you do, even you, Mr. Schue!" Rachel pointed accusingly at Mr. Schuester.

"But, Rachel," Mr. Schuester said, "If Finn gets suspended then we won't have him as our leading male in Nationals this year."

Rachel gaped at him. "Good!" Rachel said, "Good! He deserves to sit in the stands for once. He deserves this! He attacked a girl and almost concussed her!" Rachel shook her head, disappointed in Mr. Schuester. She turned to Figgins and leaned across his desk, "Principal Figgins, I implore you, do not let this infraction go unpunished as so many of them before have."

Principal Figgins stopped and thought about this for a moment before giving a curt nod at her. "Ms. Berry; Ms. Lopez, would you please step out? We need to have a conversation with Mr. Hudson now."

Rachel nodded back at him and reached out for Santana who took her hand and the two girls walked out together.

"Thanks for being on my side, Rachel," Santana said.

Rachel stopped and turned to the other girl. "Santana, I'm always going to be on your side. From now on... _always._"

"Same," Santana said simply.

* * *

Glee was not the greatest experience for Rachel and Santana.

"What the fuck do you mean Finn won't be performing at Nationals?" Quinn asked the question on everybody's mind. Well... yelled it more like, but it was on everybody's mind. "Why not?"

"Because of what he did to Santana," Mr. Schue explained.

"What happened to Santana?" Tina asked. Everyone seemed confused.

"Nobody heard?" Mercedes turned around and addressed the rest of the group. Everyone shook their heads no. "Finn hit Santana," she said. A collective gasp from Kurt, Tina, Blaine, and Brittany. Everyone else seemed unsurprised.

"She kinda had it coming..." Quinn said under her breath.

"Excuse me?" Rachel stood up in anger. Santana tugged on her wrist, begging her to sit back down, but Rachel just shook her off of her.

"You heard me, Manhands!" Quinn retaliated, "She's a bitch!"

Rachel huffed and walked to the front of the class. "If you don't mind Mr. Schue?" He nodded at Rachel and let her have the floor. "Look, what Finn did was really wrong. He could have seriously hurt Santana, and, I'm sorry, Quinn but nobody deserves to be hit like that, no matter how they've acted in the past."

"And you have to admit that she's definitely been way nicer since she and Rachel became besties," Kurt defended Rachel.

She silently thanked Kurt who nodded for her to continue. "Look, I ended things with Finn because of what he did, but more so for what he said. He said she deserved it. Does that really sound like something a stable person would say?" The group murmured a collective no. "Finn has gotten away with far too much for far too long and its about time that he paid his dues."

"But... who's going to be leading man now?" Mike asked.

This caused the group to erupt in a wild discussion and fight over the set list.

"Well, if Finn isn't doing lead, maybe Rachel shouldn't either," Mercedes argued.

"No! Are you crazy? Do you want to lose?" Puck said.

"Puck's right," Sam said, "Rachel has to sing lead. She's the star."

"You are, you know," Santana whispered discretely to her. Rachel just smiled and blushed. Sam must have thought that she was smiling for him because he smiled back at her.

"Bull!" Sugar yelled back, "Why can't the rest of us have a shot?"

"Sugar, honey, you can't sing," Tina said, as nicely as she possibly could. Sugar just waved her off, but didn't seem too offended.

"Hey!" Santana stood up and yelled above the din, drawing everyone's attention. "We can't do this without Rachel, you guys have to admit that," Santana said, looking pointedly at Mercedes. Everyone nodded in agreement. "But we _can_ do this without Finn. Any of the guys could take his place. We all remember how good Rachel and Puck sound together," there was a murmur of agreement. "And Trouty is awesome, so is Artie. We have enough members, and we have the talent; we can do this without him."

"Santana is right," Kurt adds. "Rachel, if I may, I make a motion that we have an audition for male leads."

"I second that motion, Kurt" Rachel smiles and raises her hand.

Blaine smiles at his boyfriend and kisses him on the cheek sweetly. Santana looks down at Rachel and the two have a moment where they just stare at each other. A throat clears and they snap their attention back to the group.

"Mr. Schuester, if it's alright with you, I'd like to help judge the auditions," Rachel asks him and he nods his approval.

"So... are these auditions, like... _mandatory_, or whatever?" Puck asks.

"Oh, Noah..." Rachel whines, "please audition! You're such a great performer, you shouldn't squander your talent. And who knows, you may just catch the eye of a talent scout," Rachel finishes with a wink. Santana sees this and sits down with a huff.

"You don't have to, Puck," Mr. Schue says, "but it's be great if you did. Rachel's right."

The group converses amongst themselves for a while before Mr. Schuester dismisses them and everyone disperses.

"Hey, Santana?" Rachel turns to Santana and asks, "How did you get to school this morning?"

"I drove. Why? Do you need a ride?"

"No, but I was wondering if you might," Rachel says.

"I had to drive so I could drop of the twins at school and Marisol to her kindergarden," Santana explains.

"Oh, okay," Rachel says, somewhat defeated.

"Are you coming over later, though?" Santana asks, hopeful.

Rachel seems to brighten up then, "I'd love to. I just have go home and tell my fathers and do some homework and then I can be by for dinner. Maybe I can help you make it again?"

Santana nods excitedly, "Definitely. And this time _Papi_ will be there and you'll be having dinner with all of us." Santana stopped, "Well... all of us, except for _Mami_."

Rachel still smiled before leaning in and kissing her friend on the cheek, however just an inch to the left and she would have her lips planted on Santana's.

* * *

A/N: I guess you could say that me putting off Finn's punishment was sort of a statement about the reality of what Glee is, and Rachel's speech is what really is going on. I know you guys hated me for not dealing with it, but I had a plan. ;)

Also, does anyone know some good songs about unrequited love that Santana could sing? Preferably pop, something that Santana's character would know and like.


	6. Chapter 6

Innocence is Only a Perception

Chapter 6

Everything was different now. That was the only thing running through Rachel's mind as she sat in her car in Santana's driveway. Everything was different. She and Santana had kissed last night and now that she and Finn were over... only time could tell what would happen to Santana and Rachel, and Rachel could only hope that, what ever it was, was for the best.

Rachel sighed and got out of the car, locking it behind her, and walked up to the front door of the Lopez home. Rachel didn't bother to knock, and when she opened the door her sense were immediately assaulted with a spicy aroma in the air. Catching her off guard, Rachel let out a cough as she breathed in different peppers, powders, and spices.

Rachel heard Santana call from the kitchen, "_Chicos_, go check if that's Rachel. Tell her I'm in the kitchen.

The boys came running into the foyer in the next moment. "Rachie! Rachie!" The boys yelled excitedly when they spotted her, "Come! Come! Tana's in the kitchen making food for us."

Rachel, being pulled along by both hands, was dragged into the kitchen, where she began to cough more when she inhaled another does of spice. "Hey, Tana. It's awfully spicy in here."

"Oh, sorry about that," she said sympathetically, "_Papi _doesn't like to eat anything that doesn't have the 'kick of a donkey' in it." Off of Rachel's furrowed brow, Santana added, "His words, not mine."

Rachel laughed a little before asking, "So, what are we making today?" She went into the pantry and grabbed an apron since it seemed to be a messy meal considering Santana had one on.

"Oh, well we have..." Santana lifted the lid off of a pot, letting a cloud of stem erupt from it, "Spicy Vegetable Stew, and..." she replaced the lid and moved onto a smaller pot with no lid. Pointing at it she continued, "Spicy beans, and we are putting those on top of baked sweet potatoes," she finished, pointing at a stem cooker where she assumed the sweet potatoes were.

"Mmm..." Rachel mused, "sounds delicious. Anything I can help with?"

"Uhh... yes! I'm done with the beans, they just need to finish cooking, same with the potatoes, but I'm having trouble getting the consistency of the stew."

Rachel clapped her hands excitedly, "Oh! Fun! You're in luck Santana, because besides casseroles, stews are my specialty!"

Santana smiled at her excitability and Rachel thought she heard her mumble the word _'adorable'_ but she brushed it off as her imagination and got to work. She began to explain to Santana how stews worked and how you had to perfectly balance out the amount of water and stock. "Normally, I do a test run in a small bowl and measure out different amounts of water and stock and mix them together until I get the right consistency."

Santana just stared at her as she worked her magic, and she wasn't the only one. The kids – all of them, Marco, Diego, and Marisol – had all gathered around the island to watch Rachel cook for them. Rachel was so in her element, and watching that was almost as spectacular as watching her perform. _Almost._

Rachel stopped mid-sentence when she felt eyes on her and turn to look at the four pairs of dark brown eyes trained on her. "What? Do I have something on my face?" She self-consciously touched her face, searching for any blemishes.

Santana chuckled, as did the children, and took Rachel's hands in hers. "No, you don't, we're just watching you." Rachel looked at her strangely, but she couldn't stop the flutter she felt in her heart and stomach at the look in Santana's eyes.

Then there was the sound of the door opening and closing and all of a sudden the twins leapt from their seats with Marisol close behind screaming, "_Papi!_" as they ran into the foyer.

There was playful screaming and yelling and grunting and laughing, bringing a smile to Santana's face. "_Papi_ is home," Santana says distantly.

Miguel Lopez appears in the kitchen with a boy on each leg and a five year old girl slung over his shoulder, a warm smile on his face. "_Hola, Santanita_," he says, putting his little girl back on her feel and shaking the twins from his legs. He walks over to his eldest daughter and pulls her into a hug. Pulling away, he takes a big whiff of the air and grins. "Mmm... something smells good," he muses and picks up a small spoon and reaches into the pot to take a small bite, ignoring the scandalized look on Rachel's face. Drawing back he exclaimed, "_Aye, eso es picante!_" He turned to his daughter and said, with a proud smile on his face, "You did well, _Mijita_."

"Well, actually, _Papi_," Santana said, "I had a lot of help from Rachel." She turned him to face her friend and gestured to her.

Miguel shook his head and apologized quickly, "Oh, forgive me, _niña_! I didn't see you there!"

"It's quite alright, Señor Lopez," Rachel said graciously.

"No, no, it was very rude of me. However, Santana didn't tell me that we would be having company for dinner," he turned back to Santana and raised his brow.

"I wanted it to be a surprise, _Papi_," she said sweetly.

Miguel nodded and then turned to the rest of his children, "Come on, _niños_! Help set the table, it looks like dinner is almost finished."

The kids began to flurry around the kitchen, darting around the island to grab at plates and silverware and cups, and ducking around Santana and Rachel by the stove. The girls finished up and set out the serving plates to finish with just the presentation of the dishes. The girls washed their hands one final time and then placed the finished meal on the dinner table. Everyone crowded around in the same spots they were just last night, but Miguel was now in the same spot Alma was, and it was a lot less stressful for both Santana and Rachel. It was nice to see a warm, grinning face across the table instead of a sour, disgruntled face full of judgment.

Just as everyone grabbed their forks and spoons and began to dig in Rachel held her hands out to take Santana's on her left and Diego on her right. When she closed her eyes in prayer everyone paused. Santana leaned forward and whispered, "Rach... what are you doing?"

Rachel cracked her eye open and looked at Santana. "Praying?" She said uncertainly.

The rest of the table erupted into giggles.

Through her laughter Santana said, "Oh, honey, we only do that when Abuela is around."

"Or _Mami_, when she's feeling especially pious.," Miguel added. "Normally that's around Easter and Christmas."

Rachel ducked her head in embarrassment, trying to hide her blush. "We can pray if you want to," Santana offered, taking Rachel's hand that was still extended towards her.

"No, it's okay," Rachel said, shaking her head, "I was just trying to be respectful of your religion. After all, I'm a guest in your house."

"No need to, _preciousa_," Santana said tenderly.

"Yes, as the _Gringos_ say much too often, _'mi casa es su casa,'_" Miguel said, and the table erupted in laughter once again.

When the laughter died down everyone began to dig in. The meal was filled with jokes and laughter and storytelling – and Santana and Rachel shared more than one longing glance at each other.

As dinner was dying down, Miguel asked, "So, what's for dessert?"

Santana gaped at him, "You're still hungry, _Papi_?"

"Yes, I'm a growing man!" He exclaimed, causing Santana to laugh

"I believe that there's some ice cream in the freezer," Rachel said without looking up from the last of her food. "If not, you're welcome to my Soy Cream. It's vegan, but I promise, it tastes just as good. Santana steals some sometimes."

A silence spread across the table as Miguel furrowed his brow, confused. "How often did you say you came over, Rachel?"

Rachel finally looked up and saw Santana's panicked expression, suddenly feeling some nerves of her own. She looked over to Miguel, who she had the sudden urge to call him _Señor_, and answered politely, "Umm... quite often."

"Oh, Rachie is here all the time!" Diego practically yells. Santana's go wide as saucers, the panic she's feeling evident in them.

"Yeah, she makes us dinner, like, every night! And she's so good at it!" Marco yells back. Santana has just resorted to laying her forehead on her palm and smacking them together every so often.

Miguel looks completely stricken with surprise and just the slightest hint of disappointment. "Santana, _¿por qué no me dijiste que estaba aquí tan a menudo?_"

"_Lo siento, Papi_. It slipped my mind. She's over nearly as much as Brittany came over, though."

"_Came_ over? What do you mean 'came'?"

Santana just looked down sadly, Rachel reached over and touched her arm to comfort her. "We broke up, _Papi_," she said, her eyes still downcast.

"Oh, Tana," Miguel said sympathetically, "I'm so sorry." He turned to the kids and shooed them away. They obediently got up from the table and took their dishes to the sink before running upstairs. Miguel got up and walked over to Santana, kneeling on the ground next to her and pulling her into a tight hug. Santana wanted to cry, but she only sniffled into her father's shoulder. Rachel felt as though she should look away or get up and go to the kitchen and do the dishes while they had their moment, but when she tried to move, Santana's hand gripping her's only tightened more, causing her to jerk back to her normal position.

When Miguel let his daughter go he told the girls to go upstairs and do whatever they wanted. "And can you call down your brothers to do the dishes? You girls cooked, you shouldn't have to clean too."

"Thank you, Señor Lopez," Rachel said graciously before pulling Santana up and dragging her up the stairs. The girls poked their heads into the twins' room and told them that their father wanted them, to which they responded by squealing and jumping off of their respective beds and running down the stairs. The girls then turned into Santana's bedroom and immediately got into bed and curled into each other's sides.

"Are you okay, Santana?" Rachel asks after a few moments of silence for them to get settled in.

"Yes..." Santana responds half-heartedly.

"Don't lie to me, Tana," Rachel says, turning her face to her friend's.

"I will be," Santana says, "as long as you hold me."

"I can do that," she responds, nestling her face into Santana's neck and curling her arms tighter around her friend.

Then there is silence. A comfortable silence that isn't broken by anything but the shallow breathing of the girls. A silence that when on and on, so long that they almost fell asleep. When Rachel shifted in her almost-sleep she shifted so that if Santana leaned down just a little bit...

And then Santana was kissing Rachel – again – and Rachel kissed back – again. But this time there was no Finn or Brittany or anything else that could possibly stop them from. Finally Santana was able to kiss Rachel the way she deserved to be kissed. She was able to savor every moment of pure Rachel – from the taste of her lips that were like candy to the feel of them beneath her own. This is what heaven truly feels like. Sweet and gentle and tender, Santana and Rachel continued, shifted very slightly, little by little, until Santana was covering Rachel's tiny body with her own and holding the back of her head , curling her fingers through the silky, brown tendrils of hair there. The best part about this was that it was totally natural, as if they've been doing it for weeks. The two girls have been practically domestic for that time, kissing was just adding something that was always supposed to be there.

The two only separated when the sound of Michael Bublé's rendition of _'Put Your Head on My Shoulder'_ came through Rachel's phone. Sighing, Santana pulled away and hung her head next to Rachel's while the girl giggled and pushed at her shoulder to get the Latina off of her.

When Santana rolled to the side Rachel immediately hopped off of the bed to pull her phone from the pocket of her dress. "Hello? Daddy?"

"_Rachel! Where have you been? It's nearly 10 o'clock! You better not have been at Finn's house. I now you two are engaged, but you can't spend the night at his house on school nights."_ Her father, Hiram.

"No, Daddy. I'm at Santana's. I'm sorry I haven't been home, I helped make dinner and then we just lost track of time. I'll come home right away."

"_Oh... Santana? Okay, honey, well don't be too late,"_ he said, and Rachel had to hold in the chuckle at how he obviously didn't care fro her relationship with Finn. He had nothing to worry about now.

"I'll be home soon, Daddy," Rachel finished with a smile before hanging up and turning back to Santana. "I have to go, but I'll see you at school tomorrow, okay?" Santana only nodded somewhat solemnly. "Hey," Rachel exclaimed softly, taking Santana's chin in her hand and making her look her in the eye. "I have to go, but just so you know," she paused and leaned in to kiss her... _friend – _or whatever they were now – tenderly on the lips and pulled away to finish, "but I don't want to."

Santana smiled, obviously happy with this answer and kissed Rachel again. "Can you pick me up tomorrow? We can go back to your house after school."

Rachel just nodded, kissed Santana again, and then turned to walk out the door. When Santana heard the door shut she flopped back onto her bed and giggled happily.

* * *

A/N: Okay, so I've decided to narrow the choice of Santana's song to Rachel to be "Love How It Hurts" and "She's So Lovely" by Scouting For Girls, and "Strange and Beautiful" by Aqualung, as well as "The Nicest Thing" by Kate Nash. Review and vote for which song I should use!


	7. Chapter 7

Innocence is Only a Perception

Chapter 7

The next morning when Rachel pulled up to the driveway Santana rushed from the kitchen where she was making a quick breakfast to the front door. She threw it open, startling Rachel and making her stumble back with her hand raised in the air as she was just about to knock on the door.

"Umm... hello, Santana. Good morning," Rachel said unsurely. Going from the bright smile on Santana's face it _was_ a good morning.

Santana didn't say anything she just pulled Rachel into her home and dragged her into the kitchen where she was making her breakfast. "Do you want anything?" Santana finally said something.

"Oh, no thank you, I had a granola bar on the way over," Rachel responded. Santana nodded and went back to stuffing her bag with low-calorie snacks for the day ahead. When Rachel looked the girl over in silence it was then that she recognized the jitters in her movements and the nervousness on her face. "Hey," Rachel began, putting her hand on Santana's wrist to still her movements, "are you okay? You seem rather... nervous."

Santana looked down at Rachel's hand and back up at her face before taking a breath. "Yeah, I'm fine, I just... I guess I'm just nervous about today."

Rachel furrowed her brow, "Why? You're out already, and I don't really care what people think if that's what you're worried about."

"No, it's not really everyone else – I couldn't care less about what everyone else thinks of me – it's just... Finn. He may be an idiot, but he's not completely oblivious – not when it comes to you. And if he can figure it out then Brittany definitely can."

Rachel nodded, understanding finally. "But... why care?" Rachel asked Moving in close, pressing her front right up against Santana wrapping her arms around her. "I don't. We have no relation with them anymore and I don't care about them." Rachel smoothed a lock of hair out of Santana's face before tenderly whispering, "I only care about you."

Santana smiled slightly at her and was just leaning down to give her a tender kiss when the sound of heavy footfalls just out side the door caused the girls to jump apart. "That's _Papi_. We should leave before he comes in here," Santana says before shuffling the girl out of the kitchen and down the foyer. When Santana had, more or less, pushed Rachel out the door the girls got into Rachel's light blue Prius and peeled away, headed for school.

* * *

The girls had to split apart upon arriving at school, but when third period rolled around the girls eagerly greeted each other at their seats. They exchanged hello's and hugged before sitting next to each other and linking their hands across the gap between their seats.

"So... lunch today in the chorus room?" Santana asked hopefully.

Rachel's face dropped from the smile she had there and looked at her contritely, "I'm sorry, Santana, but Noah and Mike both ambushed me after second period, practically begging me to help them with their audition songs. They seem to have taken an interest in being more apart of Glee Club, and you know me, I have to support that."

Santana's eyes narrowed, but she nodded anyways. The teacher came into the room then and called attention to herself. Even though the girls would have been able to hold hands all throughout class because Santana was left-handed and Rachel was right-handed, Santana still shook Rachel from her grasp.

The bell rang at the end of class and the girls once again separated to go to fourth period and then when lunch came around Santana begrudgingly went into the cafeteria to get her food. She noticed that she began turning her nose up at almost every over-processed thing that was offered, wishing that she could instead split a healthy, well-balanced lunch with Rachel like she normally did. Sighing in defeat, Santana dropped the tray with nothing but a fruit cup and bottled water on it back on the tray slide and left the cafeteria in search of her tiny friend in the auditorium.

When Santana open the door to the auditorium her eyes automatically narrow as jealousy rages through her veins. To anyone who doesn't know Puck the way Santana does, him feeling Rachel's stomach as she shows him proper breathing techniques might seem just like that, innocent. However, Santana knows Puck, and she can see the lustful glint in his eye as he looks at her and she sees the way that Puck's hand moves upwards towards Rachel's bust just slightly enough that she doesn't notice, but Santana notices... she notices everything about the way he's touching her and looking at her right now, and she is not happy about it.

"Hey!" Santana yells down from the top of the auditorium stairs, grabbing the attention of Rachel and Puck on the stage and Mike watching them closely in the audience. Santana jogs briskly down the steps to meet Rachel at the edge of the stage.

"Santana? What are you doing here?" Rachel asks.

"I was nauseated by the school food, so I came here to see if I could steal some of your food." Santana says, pushing herself onto the stage and standing close to Rachel. "And also because, even if you're busy, I wanted to eat with you."

"Oh. O-of course, Santana," Rachel says with a smile. "You know where I keep my food, my bag is over there by the piano."

"Thanks, babe," Santana says, and before Rachel can say 'You're welcome,' Santana takes Rachel by the back of the head and pulls her in for a deep kiss. Rachel gasps, giving Santana the ease to slip her tongue between the girl's lips and kiss her hotly. When she pulls away Santana looks to Puck who has a dumbstruck look on his face. As Santana walks over to the piano, she whispers a low, "Back. Off," as she passes by Puck.

Santana sits on the piano bench and watches the rest of the lesson go on quietly, but very closely. When Rachel dismissed the boys they left without a word and when the door shut behind them Rachel stalked over to Santana.

"Santana Lopez, that was incredibly immature of you. Why would you do that. When I said that I don't care about what other people think I didn't mean that you can kiss me whenever you wanted, certainly not when you are feeling possessive and jealous," Rachel ranted. Santana only smiled mischievously as Rachel went on. "What?" Rachel asked off the look Santana was giving.

"It got you fired up," Santana said plainly.

"Well... yes. I'm upset that you acted so immaturely and rashly and passively. You know that I would never have let Noah do whatever it was you thought he was trying to do, so I don't understand you jealousy. You can't get mad at him when he probably doesn't even know that you and I are-"

Santana interrupted Rachel's ranting with a hot kiss placed on her lips. She pulled a way for a moment to take in her dazed look before chuckling and wrapping her arm around Rachel's waist to hold her closely. "I'm a possessive person, Rach, you should know that by now."

Rachel sighs, looking down at her shoes before meeting Santana's... lips - staring at them hungrily. "I know. I can't say that it was totally unwanted though... afterwards. That kiss..."

"It was pretty hot," Santana says with a proud smirk. "I can do it again if you like," she says with a wink.

Rachel just nods and leans her head up to meet her lips with Santana's and they begin to move them in tandem, feeding off of each other's lustful energy. Santana pressed her tongue against the seam of Rachel's lips and pried them open to slide her tongue along the inside of the moist cavern, their tongues tangled together in a dance of passion. The girls moved to sit down on the bench without breaking apart and Santana easily hauled Rachel onto her lap. Santana was just sliding her hands up Rachel's sides to cup her breasts when the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. The girls pulled away reluctantly and pressed their foreheads together in order feel the intimacy of their breath on each other's faces.

"We have to go to class now," Rachel whispered.

"Mmm hmm," was Santana's lethargic response.

"Santana..." Rachel whined, "let me up please?"

"No. I like you here," Santana said, hugging Rachel's body tightly.

Rachel only chuckled as she pushed Santana's hands off of her. "Santana... please? We have to go to class."

Santana huffed before releasing Rachel and getting up herself. "Okay, fine. Let's get to class."

Rachel smiled and took her hand. Grabbing their bags the girls walked out of the auditorium and began to walk down the bustling halls of McKinley. About halfway to class Rachel noticed the whispers and stares coming from the student body directed towards them. Rachel looked at Santana with a furrowed brow and nervous look in her eyes. When Santana looked back at her, instead of finding comfort like she'd hoped, she instead found the exact same thing she was feeling.

"Santana; Rachel, would you care to comment on the rumor going around about you two?" Jacob Ben Israel's squeaky voice and bush for hair popped up in front of the girls holding a notebook and a pen poised to write every word they say.

"W-what?" Rachel stuttered nervously.

"What rumor?" Santana added.

"The rumor that you two are together," Jacob supplied, still holding his pen against his paper.

The girls looked at each other curiously before shaking their head and pushing past the annoying Jewish boy and tried to continue on to their class.

"Wait! Wait!" He called after them, but they didn't stop. "What about the rumor that Rachel has been cheating on Finn with you, Santana?"

_That_ made them stop dead in their tracks. Santana whipped around and stalked over to the puffy haired boy, backing him against the lockers. "What the fuck did you say, JewFro?" Santana asked harshly.

"Santana, please," Rachel begged, appearing next to the fiery Latina and tugged on her wrist. "He's not worth it, baby, please?"

"Baby?" Jacob questioned.

"Shut the fuck up, asshole!" Santana yelled before taking Rachel's hand again and stalking away with her.

* * *

After school – which was not the easiest thing to go through after the incident after lunch with Jacob – Rachel and Santana got into Rachel's car, but instead of putting the tiny Prius into drive and pulling away, Rachel just sat there with her hands on the wheel, gripping it until her knuckles were white and staring out the windshield.

"Rach?" Santana questioned, concerned.

Rachel snapped back to reality and looked at Santana. "Hmm?"

"Are you okay?"

"Yes. Yes, of course," Rachel says immediately. Santana just gives her a look that calls bullshit on her and rachel has to revise her answer right away, "No, not really. I'm just thinking about what happened today."

"Rachel, don't pay attention to JewFro, or anybody else for that matter. It's high school, you're allowed to be with whoever you want, and that's a stupid rumor anyways. Like anybody would believe that you cheated on Finn," Santana said. She tried to put her hand on top of Rachel's, but the girl just pulled away and put both her hands in her lap.

"But I did," Rachel said simply. Even with her eyes downcast at her hands Rachel could feel the confused eyes of Santana on her, so she continued, "I didn't cheat physically, but what we had was an emotional affair. All those times I slept over at your house and how we made dinner for each other... it was all so... _domestic_, and that wasn't okay when I was supposed to have that with the boy I was engaged to."

"Bullshit," Santana said. "That's bullshit. Don't blame yourself because Finn was a shit-awful boyfriend," Santana paused and snickered, "or that I'm just better than him." She placed her hand behind Rachel's head and pulled their faces together and Santana let her lips brush against Rachel's.

"Mmm! San-" Rachel pushed Santana away, "No, please don't." Rachel turns to face front again and stares out the window in thought. "I think... I think everyone else is right." Rachel sighs, "I think that, maybe, we rushed into... _this_." She groans in frustration, "God! I don't even know what _this_ is!"

"_This?_" Santana quirks her eyebrow. "It's _us_, Rach. Just _us_, I didn't think anything else mattered." Santana put her hand against Rachel's cheek and forced her to look at her. "All I want is you, and I don't understand why everything and everyone else matters so much to you."

"It doesn't!" Rachel yells. "It doesn't, I just- I don't know." Rachel sighs, "Can we just take it slow from now on? Please? I don't- I don't feel comfortable anymore."

Santana's heart at that. She knew what that means. _"I don't feel comfortable with you anymore. I don't feel comfortable with us."_

"Fine," Santana said. Rachel let out a relieved breath and put the car into gear and began to drive out of the school parking lot. Upon coming to the turn Santana said, "Turn left here."

"What? But that's the opposite way to my house."

"I know. Take me home, Rachel."

Rachel sighed and flipped her turn signal from right to left and began to peal out away from the school and towards Lima Heights Adjacent.

* * *

A/N: Okay, so I decided to add Safetysuit's "Find A Way" to the list of songs I might use, but I really do need your help on the final decision, so please review and give me your opinion.


	8. Chapter 8

Innocence is Only a Perception

Chapter 8

The next morning – Thursday morning – the day that auditions for the male lead in the Nationals competition would take place – the girls drove themselves to school in their respective cars, though they knew that, their dance off avoidance would only go so far and eventually they would have to talk to each other.

But Santana couldn't talk to Rachel – not yet. She needed to think more, and she figured that Rachel did too. Making her way into the school and towards her locker, Santana was lost in thought – so much so that she didn't see the tiny brunette plaguing her thoughts with her eyes glazed over and lost in her own was headed right for her. She didn't even acknowledge her until the two had collided into each other.

"Oh, sorry- Rachel..." Santana gasped out, looking at the girl. She looked ragged, like she was up all night, either crying or deep in thought – Santana suspected both, as she had had the same look this morning when she rolled out of bed.

"Santana..." Rachel sighed, "I- Can we-"

"No," Santana said right off. "No, we can't talk right now, Rachel. I need to think, I need to figure some things out... And I think you do too."

"Santana, I'm sorry, I just-"

"Please don't, Rach. Please?" Santana pleaded with her, holding her hand up to silence her. Santana turned away and walked back down the hallway towards the choir room and Mr. Schue's office.

* * *

"No, Santana. The answer is no," Mr. Schue said firmly.

"What? So Kurt is allowed to audition for a piece sung by a chick and Mercedes is allowed to play a tranny in a school play, but I'm not allowed to even audition to sing with Rachel at Nationals?" Santana's arms were crossed and her eyebrow arched in a defiant stare to her teacher.

"That was different, Santana. Kurt and Mercedes playing... _unconventional_ parts didn't jeopardize the winning or losing of a National level competition. You remember what happened with Kurt and Blaine with the Warblers."

"_That_ is different," Santana retorted. "Kurt and Blaine aren't Rachel and I. You've heard us sing together! We... we _move _people." Santana dropped her arms and downcast her eyes, sighing as she made a last ditch effort to convince him, "Please, Mr. Schuester, at least let me try out."

* * *

"Thank you, Sam. That was great," Mr. Schue said into the microphone on the directors table in the audience of the auditorium. The blonde boy nodded in thanks and walked off the stage.

Rachel then turned to her teacher and whispered, "He was very good, Mr. Schue. How many more do we have left?"

Mr. Schue, who was checking off Sam's name from the sign-up sheet beneath Mike, Artie, and Blaine's names, looked down the list and plainly said, "Two." He turned back to her, "Puck is next."

Rachel smiled excitedly and leaned in to speak into the microphone, "Come on out, Noah."

Puck walked out from the stage wings and to the middle of the stage, carrying his guitar. He gripped the microphone in his hand and greeted his audience of two before beginning to strum his guitar. He sang Neil Diamond's _"Home Before Dark"_, and sang it beautifully.

When he finished Rachel leaned back over to the microphone on the table and said, "That was beautiful, Noah. Thank you very much." He did as Sam did before him, nodded politely and walked off stage. "One more to go?" Rachel asks, and gets a nod in response from her teacher. She reaches across and takes the paper from him and looks it over and her eyes go wide. There, below Puck's scratched out name, in a curly, feminine print is the name- "_Santana Lopez?_" Rachel's shocked voice raises enough that the microphone picks it up and it calls the girl in question from the wings. Rachel looks up from the paper and at the girl, "What are you doing here? This is- you can't do this solo, it's... well, it's for the boys."

"Please, Rachel," Santana finally says into the mic at the center of the stage, "Mr. Schue said that it was okay if I at least tried out. We sound good together and you know it. We could take Nationals together."

"But..." Rachel hesitated, trying to find an argument, "Kurt and Blaine-"

"Kurt and Blaine weren't you and me, Rach. That's exactly what I told Schue and I know that I'm right," Santana said confidently. "Just let me sing."

Rachel looked nervously from Santana, to her teacher, and then back at the girl on stage before giving a hesitant nod. Santana let out a shaky breath she didn't even know she was holding in before gripping the microphone and dropping her head to gather herself and when the music started she looked up and stared straight at Rachel.

"_Hold on, what's the rush, what's the rush we're not done are we_

_Cause I don't need to change this atmosphere we've made if_

_You can stay one more hour, can you stay one more hour_

_You know I'm gonna find a way to let you have your way with me_

_You know I'm gonna find a time to catch your hand and make you stay"_

Santana sang so earnestly, and her eyes never left Rachel's face as she tried to gage her reaction. However the girl's features were cold and emotionless as she attempted to not let her true feeling show and let Santana know just how vulnerable she was when it came to the Latina.

"_Hold on, I'll be here when it's all done you know_

_Cause what's the point in chasing if I can't enjoy your face and_

_We can't be wrong tonight, can we be wrong tonight?_

_You know I'm gonna find a way to let you have your way with me_

_You know I'm gonna find a time to catch your hand and make you stay_

_I don't care what clothes you wear, it's time to love and I don't care_

_You know I'm gonna find a way to let you have your way with me"_

Santana let tears spring to her eyes as she let her true feeling come to the surface, something that she never allowed herself to do, but Rachel was different. Rachel was someone that Santana trusted with her everything and she knew that if Rachel knew how Santana truly felt about her then she wouldn't hurt her like Brittany did... or like anyone else did for that matter.

"_And if I was running, you'd be the one who I would be running to_

_And if I was crying, you would be lining the cloud that would pull me through_

_And if I was scared, then I would be glad to tell you and walk away_

_But I am not lying, I am just trying to find my way in to you_

_You know I'm gonna find a way to let you have your way with me_

_You know I'm gonna find a time to catch your hand and make you stay_

_I don't care what clothes you wear, it's time to love and I don't care_

_You know I'm gonna find a way to let you have your way with me"_

Finally, Santana saw a flicker of emotion pass over Rachel's face, it was one of guilt and what looked to be something akin to love, however it was too soon to tell if that was what Rachel was truly feeling.

"_You know I'm gonna find a way to let you have your way with me_

_You know I'm gonna find a time to catch your hand and make you stay_

_I don't care what clothes you wear, it's time to love and I don't care_

_You know I'm gonna find a way to let you have your way with me_

_If I was running_

_If I was crying_

_If I was scared_

_You know I'm gonna find a way to let you have your way with me_"

A tear fell down Rachel's cheek and she tried to wipe it away quickly, but she knew that Santana had already seen it. Feeling a bit overwhelmed, rachel excused herself to her teacher and got up from the table and taking brisk steps to the back of the auditorium where she found solace and peace from Santana's intense gaze on the other side of the door. She knew, however, that her solace and peace wouldn't last long, because Santana was amazing, as she always is and she knew that, even if she fought Mr. Schuester, he would still insist that the girls sing together at Nationals. Not only that, though, Rachel knew that Santana had more to say and the girl, being as stubborn as she is, wouldn't let Rachel just let lie what had happened and what the both of them so desperately want to happen, no matter what Rachel insists.

* * *

A/N: Song used is called "Find A Way" by Safetysuit. So, how is everyone liking the story? I've gotten very few reviews and I'm sort of getting discouraged and don't feel like writing is worth it if you guys don't enjoy it.


	9. Chapter 9

Innocence is Only a Perception

Chapter 9

Santana found Rachel in the chorus room a little while later sitting on the piano bench with her back turned to the door. Santana opened her mouth to alert Rachel to her presence, but opted, instead, to walk over silently and sit down next to her.

"Hello, Santana," Rachel whispered without lifting her head to acknowledge her. Her gaze was trained on her fingers tinkling the keys of the piano and would not leave it's focus for Santana, even when the Latina spoke.

"Did I upset you, or are you just thinking now?"

"I was upset, for a little while, but now I'm just thinking," Rachel said calmly. Her hands began to play a sweet melody, one that was familiar to Santana, but she couldn't quite place it.

"Should I leave you alone then?" Santana moved to stand, but Rachel's hands stopped playing suddenly and moved to close around Santana's own hands. Without either of them saying a word, Santana nodded and settled back into the seat.

And then there was silence. A comfortable one where Rachel was able to stop thinking and lay her head on her friend's shoulder and forget about what had happened the past week. One where Santana was able to wrap her arm around the girl laying her head on her shoulder without being afraid of making her pull away. A silence that had the ability to make everything just... _stop_ and _be._

"Did you mean it?" The question causes Santana to snap back into herself, and it's so random that she has to ask Rachel what she means. "Did you mean... what you said in the song?"

"Oh," Santana says, understanding. "Yes," is her simple answer. "I will do anything and everything to make you realize that I want to be with you and that I-"

"Please don't say it," Rachel begs, closing her eyes as if in prayer. "I'm not ready to hear it. If you say it, then I might feel the need to say it too and I... I don'y know if I'm ready for that. That's what happened with Finn and- and I don't think I can do that again. You mean to much to me to put us through jumping into something too rashly and not knowing what will happen."

Santana had to chuckle a bit, "I wasn't going to say... _the L word_ – and I don't mean Lesbians either." Rachel chuckled at that and rolled her eyes. "I was going to say, that I want you. Not just in a sexual way, but- I don't know... I just want to be with you, even if we just lay together on my bed and kiss like we did the other day." Rachel opened her mouth but Santana stopped her by saying, "Don't be a smart ass, kissing doesn't have to be sexual."

Rachel chuckled a bit again, and then the silence set back in. For a while.

"Santana?"

"Yes, Rachel?"

"I'm sorry for running away. I'm sorry that I keep running away."

Santana looks at Rachel over her shoulder, "Why did you."

"Why does anyone run? Because I was afraid," she said, lifting her head off of Santana's shoulder to look at her.

"Of what? Me? Us?"

Rachel shook her head and hung it low with a guilty expression on her face. "Finn," she said plainly.

Santana scoffed and stood up in annoyance. "Finn? Are you fucking serious? You're still worried about his fucking feelings?"

"What? No! God no!" Rachel said in a scandalized tone, as if the notion was just completely absurd. "No! I'm afraid... I'm afraid for you. The way he hit you the other day... I didn't want that too happen again."

Santana's expression softened. "Oh... Rachie," Santana sighed, walking over to the girl and pulling her into a tight hug, holding Rachel's head to her chest. "No, don't be afraid for me. I can take care of myself. I _am_ from Lima Heights Adjacent!"

Rachel had to laugh at that, "Yeah, you just buy yourself an entire security team!"

"Already got 'em, babe," Santana said, winking at the smaller girl.

The girls laughed together and it dwindled down until the silence was back.

"Take me home, Santana?"

"Of course, baby," Santana replied, tugging on Rachel's hand. "Can I stay for dinner this time?"

"What a stupid question," Rachel responds with a playful smile.

* * *

"Daddies? We're home!" Rachel yells into the house when she and Santana walk into the foyer. Just a little ways in the girls turn the corner into the living room to find Rachel's "Dad", Leroy, the black one, sitting on the couch with his nose stuck in the newspaper and the TV on in the background – something Rachel never understood. Shaking her head at this, Rachel walked over to him and kissed him on the cheek, greeting him, "Hello, Dad. Where's Daddy?"

He just glances over his shoulder at his daughter to catch her cheek before saying, "In the kitchen. He's setting up dinner."

Rachel looked at him with a tilt to her head, "Dinner? Is it Chinese take-out again?" He just nods and Rachel has to laugh. Rachel turns to Santana and explains, "Daddy has this notion that presentation is everything and so even when he gets take-out he has to arrange all of the food onto plates like in a restaurant until it's _just so_."

"Hmm," Santana muses, "Sounds like someone I know."

Rachel lets out a sound of indignation and smacks Santana's arm with the back of her hand while they walked into the kitchen. "Oh, he might kick us out, that's probably why Dad was on the couch," Rachel adds before turning the corner. "Hi, Daddy!"

Hiram looks up just as he's pouring a box of fried rice onto a plate. He smiles at Rachel and sends her a kiss, but then immediately goes back to work. "How was school today, angel?"

"It was..." Rachel pauses and looks at Santana, "_interesting_. There were auditions for the male lead at Nationals, Mr. Schue let me help judge as I am the captain."

"Oh? Anybody stick out?" Hiram asks.

Rachel glances at Santana out of the corner of her eye – Santana doesn't miss this – and clears her throat. "There were definitely a few. Sam was very good, as was Noah surprisingly. Artie always sounds amazing." She was teasing of course, but Rachel loved the way that Santana's neck got all red when she got jealous, just like it did now.

Santana pinched Rachel's side and Rachel squeaked, causing her father to look up, finally seeing Santana. "Oh, hello. Santana, right?"

Santana smiles and nods, "Yes, sir. Rachel invited me to stay for dinner. Is that okay?"

"Oh, yes! Of course, I wish that Rachel would have called first, but-"

"I'm sorry, Daddy. Don't be rude, though, Santana can just have some of my stir-fried tofu. I never eat all of it anyways." Hiram seems satisfied with this and nods before kicking the girls out of the kitchen so he can have peace. The girls just laugh and walk out hand-in-hand – Hiram doesn't miss this.

* * *

The girls were called down from Rachel's room about ten minuets later and the girls, now with rumbling stomachs, bounded down the steps hurriedly. Upon arriving in the dinning room, they found a spread of Chinese food across the table and four place settings.

"Wow, Daddy. Nice organizing," Rachel joked and everyone but Hiram laughed.

"Very funny, Rachel, but just remember that you had to get your organizational skills from somewhere," Hiram retorted.

They all checked again and sat down to eat, immediately digging in. Santana looked around at the table awkwardly and sat with her hands in her lap while Rachel spooned some of her stir-fried tofu onto the both of their plates. Rachel noticed her awkward demeanor and asked, "What's wrong? You're usually a lot more chatty at dinner."

"That's dinner at my house though, and whenever we have dinner here your fathers are never in," Santana whispered.

Rachel giggled and kissed the girl on the cheek. "Don't be nervous, it's just my fathers."

"Yeah, your fathers that know how I treated you for three years," Santana scoffed out.

Rachel just smiled and shook her head, rolling her eyes. "So, Santana," Leroy began, "Rachel tells us that you two are finally friends now. That's a nice change of pace."

"Yeah, it's definitely better than having to pay over 100 bucks a month on dry-cleaning," Hiram says sarcastically.

Rachel attempts to kick him under the table, but accidentally hits the wrong father who exclaims in pain. "Oh, sorry Dad," she whispers as if it's a secret what she did. Leroy just nods in understanding before passing the kick along to the right person.

The rest of the meal continues in polite conversation – on pain of another kick to the shins from either Rachel or Leroy – and when everyone has cleaned their plates they migrated into the family room where the piano was located. Rachel told Santana that every time they had a family dinner it was tradition that they go into the family room and sing to each other. There was no particular reason as to why it started, it just happened one night and the next and the next and the next until it became a tradition.

Leroy and Hiram sang _"Come Fly With Me"_, an ode to each other, and Rachel had to say _"Ewwwww!"_ like a five year-old to get them to stop kissing when they were done singing. However, it did work, and Santana had to thank her for saving the both of them from that awkward moment.

Rachel jumped up from the chaise lounge chair she was sharing with Santana almost as soon as her fathers sat down on the love seat next to them. "Now, I actually haven't prepared anything new because I've been rather busy," Rachel looked pointedly at Santana and the girl blushed a little, making Rachel giggle, "So, Dad; Daddy, would you mind? You know what song to play."

The two men grinned at each other and walked back over to the piano and immediately started to play the opening chords of _"Don't Rain On My Parade"_. And of course Rachel did it perfectly! So, when the smaller girl hopped over to where Santana was still sitting with rapt attention on her and her entrancing voice Santana immediately stiffened.

"Oh, no! No no no! I can't sing, not after that! How could I possibly follow... _that_?" Santana asked, holding her hands up in front of her to push away the grabby hands of Rachel trying to pull her to the front.

"Yes, yes! You have to sing, Santana! I want Dad and Daddy to hear what a gorgeous voice you have!"

Sighing in defeat, Santana allowed herself to be pulled up and to the front of the room – If Puck were here, hell if _anyone_ from glee were here Santana knew she would be hearing whipping sounds. Santana looked to Rachel who was sitting back down on the lounge chair and gave a nervous look. Rachel just smiled at her and clasped her hands together and leaned forward, urging her to go on. "Umm... well, you're in luck because I was actually not sure about what song to sing this week in glee, so I have another one prepared."

Santana walked over to the piano and placed her hands on the keys, sliding her fingers over the smooth, cool surface.

"I didn't know you played," Rachel said. Santana just smiled. "I guess there's a lot of things I don't know about you..."

Santana blushed and downcast her eyes. She took a deep breath and then began to play the intro to the song.

"_You make me feel like I'm losing my virginity  
The first time every time when you touchin' me  
I make you bloom like a flower that you never seen  
Under the sun we are one buzzing energy_

_Let's pollinate to create a family tree_  
_This evolution with you comes naturally_  
_Some call it science we call it chemistry_  
_This is the story of the birds and the bees_

_Even the seasons change_  
_Our love still stays the same"_

Rachel listened with rapt attention, leaning so far forward she looked like she was about to fall off of the chair.

_"You give me the hummingbird heartbeat_  
_Spread my wings and make me fly_  
_The taste of your honey is so sweet_  
_When you give me the hummingbird heartbeat, hummingbird heartbeat_  
_Oh oh_  
_Hummingbird heartbeat_  
_Oh oh_  
_Hummingbird heartbeat_

_I've flown a million miles just to find a magic seed_  
_A white flower with the power to bring life to me_  
_You're so exotic my whole body fluttering_  
_Constantly craving for a taste of your sticky sweet"_

Santana winked at Rachel and the smaller girl's back stiffened before a deep bush spread over her cheeks and down to her neck and the top of her chest.

_"I was on the brink of a heart attack_  
_You gave me life and keep me coming back_  
_I see the sun rise in your eyes, your eyes_  
_We've got a future full of blue skies, blue skies_

_Even the seasons change_  
_Our love still stays the same_

_You give me the hummingbird heartbeat_  
_Spread my wings and make me fly_  
_The taste of your honey is so sweet_  
_When you give me the hummingbird heartbeat, hummingbird heartbeat_  
_Oh oh_  
_Hummingbird heartbeat_  
_Oh oh_  
_Hummingbird heartbeat_

_You love me, you love me_  
_Never love me not, not, oh no_  
_When we hear a perfect harmony_  
_You make me sound like, like a symphony"_

Santana sang out her heart so beautifully that Rachel was sure that her face was as red as a rose and that her faced looked utterly ridiculous as she looked up at Santana will a look of complete enchantment.

_"Spread my wings and make me fly_  
_The taste of your honey is so sweet_  
_When you give me the hummingbird heartbeat, hummingbird heartbeat_

_You give me the hummingbird heartbeat_  
_Spread my wings and make me fly_  
_The taste of your honey is so sweet_  
_When you give me the hummingbird heartbeat, hummingbird heartbeat_  
_Oh oh_  
_Hummingbird heartbeat_  
_Oh oh_  
_Hummingbird heartbeat_  
_Oh oh_  
_Hummingbird heartbeat_  
_Oh oh_  
_Hummingbird heartbeat"_

When Santana finished Rachel stood up from her seat and clapped excitedly, the enchanted look that was on her face throughout the entire song still hadn't faded, even though her fathers were staring at her, completely confused.

"Oh, Santana!" Rachel exclaimed as she ran up to the girl, throwing her arms around her waist. "That was beautiful! Wasn't that beautiful?" Rachel asked as she turned back to face her fathers. Finally she noticed their perplexed expressions. "Daddies?"

"Uh... Rachel-"

"What the hell!"

Leroy began to say, but then Hiram exclaimed over him. After getting a swat on the chest for being so impatient and direct, the men stood up and walked over to Rachel.

"Darling, you know that we love you very much, and we were so happy that you ended things with Finn, but now... we're very confused," Leroy said, cupping his daughter's face in his hands.

"Confused about what, Dad?"

Hiram crossed his arms and tapped his foot, "Is there something you want to tell us, young lady? Something about you and Santana?"

* * *

A/N: Hey, sorry I haven't updated in a few days I kind of hate myself for it, but I will definitely be writing more tomorrow and I am sorry that I had to leave you with a cliff hanger. *dodges rotten fruit* On a happy note, next chapter things will be getting hot and heavy! (no PR0NS yet , tho, sorry. *dodges more fruit*)


	10. Chapter 10

Innocence is Only a Perception

Chapter 10

"Daddy! Please!" Rachel screamed as her father stomped away and into the kitchen. Of course she followed him. "Stop! Daddy, why are you so mad at me? Because I rushed into another relationship? Or is it because I rushed into another relationship with a _girl_?"

Hiram whipped around, his face fuming, "Don't you dare accuse me of homophobia, young lady! I will support you in any choice you make or however you were born... except for this one."

"Why? I don't understand why, Daddy!" Rachel yelled, tugging on his ironed button-up shirt in desperation.

"Why? It's not because she's a girl, and it's not even a race thing, Rachel! Stop accusing us of that!"

"Then why?" Rachel yelled again.

"Rachel, please," Santana whispered into her girlfriend's ear, "let's just forget it. Let's leave and go back to my house, you can spend the night there like you usually do."

"You've been sleeping at her house? Is _that_ where you've been all those nights? We thought you were with Finn!" Hiram yelled out, "Leroy, this girl has- has _defiled_ our daughter within just a few weeks of being _friends_ with her. You need to go. Now!" Hiram pointed accusingly at Santana.

"Daddy!"

"Hiram, calm down. I think you're jumping to conclusions," Leroy said very calmly. He had been silent throughout because he knew that Hiram just needed to blow off some steam, and as long as he didn't hurt anybody – which Leroy knew he wouldn't – and as long as he didn't get too heated and start assuming thing – like now – then Leroy thought it best to just stay silent. He loved his daughter, of course, and he was concerned, but he was a more subtle parent and would have a one-on-one talk with Rachel later.

"How am I jumping to conclusions? Our daughter has been sleeping at her _house_ in... god knows where!"

Santana stifled a snicker. Lima Heights Adjacent was _not_ "god knows where"!

"She hasn't _defiled_ me at all, Daddy! All we've done is kissed," Rachel almost whispered the last part out.

"Oh! Oh no! My baby girl!" Hiram lost it, he just started yelling this mantra until Leroy finally walked up and took hold of his shoulders and shook him a bit to get him to stop.

Leroy set Hiram down on a bar stool by the island table and then turned to Rachel, "Baby girl... angel... we're just worried for you."

"Yes, I understand that, but nobody will tell me _why_!" Rachel says sternly.

"It has nothing to do with either of your sexualities, or the fact that she's a Latina – it's not even the fact that she's not Jewish, darling – it's just... well..." Leroy paused, "we're worried about your safety and well-being because of who she is... _as a person_."

"What? What do you mean?" Rachel asked, utterly confused.

"They mean, they're afraid that I'm just here so that I can embarrass you in some way later," Santana added as she stood next to Rachel, their hands were gripping each other's tightly.

"No! No, Dad, she isn't. She has no reason to!"

"Mr. and Mr. Berry... Sirs..." Santana started off awkwardly, "if I could just-"

"No!" Hiram interrupted, "No, you can't _just_."

"Hiram, please," Leroy said, "I think that she is within all her rights to defend herself and her relationship with Rachel."

"_Thank you, Assistant DA Berry," _Rachel thought with a hint of a smile on her face.

Santana send the same silent thanks and nods at the man before starting, "Sirs... I feel... _very deeply_ for your daughter and-"

"What you don't love her?" Hiram interrupts, "Sorry, we won't settle for anything less than love."

"Hiram..." Leroy growls out in a warning tone.

"It's too soon to tell if I love your daughter yet, but..." Santana turns to Face Rachel, cupping the smaller girl's face in her warm hands, "I know that, in time, I could fall very, _very_ deeply. She has that affect on people."

Santana stood there with Rachel, stroking the girl's hair and smiling softly at her, and there was no doubt that Santana was telling the truth, at least to Leroy.

"How can we trust you?" Hiram asks, challenging, "After everything in the past you've put our daughter through-"

"You just have to, Daddy. I do," Rachel says, pulling Santana in for a hug. "I've forgiven her for everything she's done because I know that she's made mistakes. If you won't trust her then trust me."

"Well, darling, you don't have the best track record," Hiram retorted, "What with Noah; and then there was Jesse; and of course, how could you forget _Finn_!"

"Daddy, Jesse was deceptive to everyone, even you, and Finn really did love me, he was just... he cared more about himself than he did about me; and Noah really is a good guy, he's made mistakes, but he is a very good friend to everyone that has shown him some loyalty."

"Please, sir, I do care very much for Rachel and I would never, ever hurt her on purpose," Santana begged, tightening her grip on Rachel's hand. "I'm sorry for everything that your daughter had to go through, and I'm sorry that I was the one to put her through a lot of it, but I will never let that happen again."

Hiram was silent, just staring at the girls in front of him and not saying a word. He then looked over to Leroy who just looked at him expectantly, no sympathy for Hiram's worries on his face. "Fine, you have one chance. _One_." The girls squealed and hugged each other happily, thanking Rachel's fathers profusely. "Hey," Hiram's voice rose, "if you hurt my daughter..."

"I know, sir," Santana said, "but I promise you, I won't."

* * *

The girls were excused to Rachel's room after that – by Leroy anyway, Hiram was hesitant to let his daughter go up to her room with Santana. As soon as the girls entered Rachel's room Santana slammed the door shut and pulled Rachel in for a passionate kiss. This aggressiveness surprised Rachel; her eyes went wide and her body went ridged as Santana grabbed hold of her shoulders and pressed her lips against Rachel's, but soon Rachel melted into the kiss just from the pure passion she felt from it. Her arms snaked around Santana's neck, her fingers tangled in the raven hair at the back of her head, and her knees felt weak.

Santana, feeling Rachel begin to lose her balance from the kiss, moved her hands to Rachel's hips and pulled the girl impossibly close – to steady her, of course – until the girls were pressed flush together. Their chests flattened against the other's and their hips began to rock together in a rhythm that was slow and sensual.

"Mmm... bed," Rachel mumbled against Santana's lips.

The girl complied and backed them up until the back of Rachel's knees hit the bed and she lost what little balance she had left and fell backwards onto the bed. Santana, who was able to stay upright with little more than a stumble, looked down at Rachel and had to take a breath to make sure that she could still breath. Rachel's flawless olive skin was flushed, her silky, chestnut hair was mused from Santana running her fingers through it in her passion, and her deep, chocolate brown eyes were twinkling with the innocence of untouched desire.

Santana smirked down at her and Rachel's face seemed to flush more at the scrutiny she was being put under. Santana, amused by this, bent down and began to crawl towards her. She hovered over her and stared at Rachel's face for a moment before bowing her head and began to kiss her neck; when she moved her leg between Rachel's thighs and pressed it right against her apex Rachel gave a loud moan, Santana smirked against her neck.

Santana slid her hand under Rachel's back and, when she had a good enough grip, flipped them over so that Santana was now beneath Rachel. She pulled away from the girl's neck and said, "You are always going to be in control of the situation. I will never go any farther than you want me to and the only thing I will ever instigate are kisses. You never have to worry about pleasing me, because all I want to do is make you feel good. Good and comfortable." Santana was so earnest in the way she talked, she never looked away from Rachel's eyes above hers as she explained what was going to happen. "And I will never keep going after you tell me to stop; it's all in your hands, you hold all of the power here."

Rachel wanted to say something, she opened her mouth to but no sound came out, so she shut it and leaned down to kiss Santana's lips as earnestly as the girl spoke. They continued to kiss, Santana ran her hips through Rachel's hair and Rachel started to rock her hips wantonly. She found Santana's thigh and straddled it, pressing her center to it and letting out a low moan. Rachel moved her own thigh between Santana's and made her match Rachel's by pressing it against the apex between Santana's legs. The girl's began to rock together in a slow rhythm, moaning into each other's mouths and necks.

"Mmm... Santana, you're so warm..."

"What is?" She said playfully with a bit of a chuckle, "My leg or my pussy?"

"Mmm, both," Rachel said, adding a nip at Santana's earlobe.

"Yeah? So are you, baby," Santana said, taking hold of the back of Rachel's head. "I can feel how wet you are through those tiny little panties of yours."

Rachel just moaned at that, moving more frantically over Santana's thigh to create more friction. Her hips were losing the rhythm, so Santana had to bracket her hips with her hands so she could guide the rolls Rachel took with her hips to match Santana's.

"More, Santana... I want more," Rachel moaned out.

"You wanna cum?" Santana said teasingly, thrusting her hips and her thigh up to rub against Rachel more.

"Please..." Rachel moaned out, her face was pressed into the side of Santana's neck, her back was arched, her hips were grinding down onto Santana's thigh, she looked utterly wanton.

"Please what?" Santana asked with a snicker. "I want you to say it."

"I want... I want to-to _cum_," she says, whispering out the last word.

Santana groaned when she said it. "Fuck... cum, baby. Scream my name when you do, I wanna hear you," Santana husked out.

Rachel worked her hips roughly against Santana's thigh, thrusting and rubbing until she was practically leaking through her panties. Santana could feel Rachel's slickness against her skin and it caused a flush of wetness to go to her own sex. Their hips were undulating against their thighs, rocking and slamming together at a frenzied pace, the moaning growing louder and louder until, finally-

"Ohhhh! Santana!" Rachel yelled into Santana's neck as an intense orgasm hit her. She keened out a moan, arching her back, and digging her fingers into the comforter beside Santana's head until it was balled up in her clenched fists.

Santana came shortly after Rachel did, although she only whispered out Rachel's name in a husky, rumbling whimper. She tossed her head back and dug her fingers into the skin just under Rachel's shirt at her waist.

The girls collapsed next to each other and curled into one another whimpering contentedly and whispering sweet nothings into the other's neck. They kissed and wrapped their arms around each other and then fell into a sated sleep.

* * *

A/N: So... not really smut, but it got pretty hot and heavy, no? Well, did you like?

Oh, PS, I forgot to add it to the author's note last chapter, but the song I used was Katy Perry's "Hummingbird Heartbeat" (an acoustic version), in case anyone didn't know.


	11. Chapter 11

Innocence is Only a Perception

Chapter 11

The girls woke up with a jolt the next morning when Rachel's iPod began to blare some of her awful inspirational music.

"Oh, no! Oh, no no no no!" Rachel began to panic as she sprung out of bed to turn of her alarm.

"Jesus Christ, Rachel! What the fuck?" Santana complained as she grabbed a pillow from the head of Rachel's bed and flopped down onto it, face first.

"No, you don't understand, Santana," Rachel said frantically, "my fathers come in here at 6:15 to make sure that I'm on my elliptical. They can't find you in here."

Rachel had begun to push at Santana's shoulder to roll her over but the Latina wouldn't budge.

"Go away, let them find me," Santana groaned, slapping Rachel's hands away. "I just want to sleep."

"Please, Santana! If you ever want to se me again, I suggest you move your delicious butt and quickly get down stairs as quietly as possible and get into your car!"

This seemed to get Santana to move as she jumped up from the bed and she began to gather herself. Just as she was walking out the door she turned back to Rachel and said, "Oh, and we are so going to talk about my _'delicious butt'_ later, by the way."

Rachel blushed as the other girl turned and made her way quietly down stairs. Rachel moved to the top of the steps to watch her... _girlfriend_ and her delicious butt leave before going back into her room and getting ready for the day.

When 6:15 came around a few minutes later and Rachel's father's appeared at her door Rachel's heart beat had returned to a normal pace and not the panicked one she had a few minutes ago.

"Hey, baby girl," Hiram greeted her.

"Hi, Daddy. Good morning, how are you?"

"I'm feeling alright. Did you have your protein shake yet?"

"No, It's been a... slow morning," Rachel blushed when she said that. She shared a look with her Dad, Leroy, but looked away quickly when she saw his knowing smile.

Hiram said that he would go get her one before turning around and began to make for the kitchen. When Leroy saw that his husband was out of earshot he leaned back into his daughter's room and said, "Honey, I know that we soundproofed your walls, but when Santana is over next time could you please keep it down? I don't think I could convince your father that it was a cat outside again."

Rachel stood there with her mouth hanging open as her Dad smiled at her and walked down to the kitchen.

* * *

"Hey, Puckerman," Santana greeted... less than nicely into the phone, "I need you to pick me up."

Santana had begun to walk down Rachel's street as soon as she left the house, but then realized that she couldn't walk all the way from Rachel's house in East Lima to her own house on the North-West side of town. She needed a ride; so, naturally, she called Puck. That's just how their relationship worked; he called her when he got kicked out of a cougar's bed by her jealous husband and she called him when she was hopping out of some young, nubile one-night stand's bed; along with hooking up every so often whenever Good Ol' Jack was around.

"The fuck, Lopez? It's like six in the morning! You know I don't get outta bed this early unless it's someone else's," Puck slurred sleepily into the phone.

"Shut up and got out here, I need you to pick me up."

"Oh?" She could hear the interest raise in Puck's voice, "Did you by any chance get film evidence of what happened between you and whatever hot, experimental lesbian you got in bed with last night?"

"No, jackass, I didn't," Santana snapped at him, "and even if I did I wouldn't share it with anyone, she wouldn't like that. Besides we didn't do much."

"Pity," Puck sighs. "Fine, where are you? I'm not driving out to the fucking sticks just to haul your ass back to civilization."

"Actually, I'm not to far from that cozy bed of yours," Santana said with a smirk. She knew that as soon as she mentioned Rachel she would get an ear-full about talking Berry into a threesome, or at least making a sex tape and letting him watch it.

"Okay, upside to hauling my ass out of bed at the ass-crack of dawn. Do you wanna say where exactly I can pick you up, though?"

Deciding to forego the ear-full, she just tole Puck to meet her at the 7-11 on Main Street not to far from where she was. She continued to walk until she got there and by then she just wanted to sit down and take a load off; her feet ached and her back and shoulders were sore... Where the fuck was Puckerman?

Someone must have heard her plea, or curse, or whatever, because that asshole rolled up on the scene in the next couple minutes wearing jeans and a hoodie and hanging his left arm out the window.

"Hey, _chica_," Puck said in a really bad spanish accent – it came out sounding more like _chick-a_ than the actual word. "Wanna go for a ride?"

"Screw you, asshole," Santana hissed as she yanked the door to the truck cab open and hauled herself onto the torn up leather seats. Puck didn't wait for her to settle in before for he started to quickly peel out of the parking lot just as she was buckling in.

Santana sighed and leaned back in the seat, closing her eyes to get a little bit of shut-eye before she got home and had to shower and change her clothes and then get to school. Of course, Puck was feeling a bit vengeful today.

"So..." Puck said so nonchalantly; Santana just kept muttering the word asshole over and over under her breath, "who was the lucky girl that had you head between her thighs this time?"

"I didn't put my head between her thighs, I put my own thigh there," Santana said lowly with eyes still closed; she then resumed her mantra of chanting the word asshole over and over again.

"Dry humping? That's hot – not like you, but still, that's hot? So who was it?" Puck prodded her again.

"Ugh, fuck off, Puckerman!" Santana said harshly, adding a smack to his chest for good measure.

"Ouch..." Puck groaned, rubbing his chest as though she's mortally wounded him.

"Pussy..." Santana snapped back at him.

"Speaking of-"

"Oh my god! What is it going to take to make you leave me the fuck alone so I can just get some fucking shut-eye?" Santana stared at him intensely, snarling at him.

But that fucker just looked at her and smiled with that goofy, lopsided smug of his and said, "Her name." Santana just groaned again, falling back on the seat and closing her eyes before mumbling out an unintelligible word to him. "Sorry? What was that? I couldn't hear you. Speak the fuck up."

"I said Rachel, asshole, can I sleep now?" Santana practically screamed at him as she jolted up and stared at him with those same intense eyes and snarling mouth she had before.

Santana swears to god, that if Puck weren't driving in pre-rush hour traffic on Main Street he would have slammed on his breaks, jolting them straight for the fucking airbags. Instead he just swerved a little bit, causing a middle-aged woman in the lane next to them to honk her horn at them and flick them off.

"I'm sorry, what the fuck was that? I don't think I heard you right, did you seriously just say Rachel _fucking_ Berry?" Puck was looking between her and the road frantically.

"Do I need to say it again, or can I just bash your head into the fucking steering wheel?"

Puck began to sputter on with curses and 'oh my god's. "Holy shit! You fucked Rachel Berry!"

"Correction: I _dry-humped_ Rachel Berry," Santana said, holding up a finger."

"What-the fuck-_ever_!" puck exclaimed, still swerving every so often as he looked from her to the road and back. "Did she cum?" He lowered his voice as if someone could hear him.

"Are you fucking kidding me? Who do you think I am?" Santana snapped, settling back in her seat. The was a pause and then a sly, yet proud smirk spread across the Latina's lips, "Of course I made her cum."

Puck was having a fit in the seat next to her; sputtering and looking about, even hitting the steering wheel with the palm of his hands, catching the horn a few times, making more people flick him off. They obviously didn't understand the magnitude of the awesomeness that was making Rachel Berry cum. "Holy shit!" He cursed again. "Did you?"

Santana scoffed, "Please, when a girl as hot as Rachel Berry cums on your thigh, you best believe that you cum to, just from the effect. Of course it helped that she was grinding her thigh into me, too."

More sputtering and cursing and flailing from Puck. "Holy _shiiiiiiiiiiit_! Dude! You gotta get me a recording of that _somehow_! A picture? Something!"

"No can do, Puckerman," Santana said smugly, "Rachel would never let me do that, even if it was _just_ to you – which, sorry, but even I don't trust – hell, she wouldn't let me, even if it was just for _us_. Besides, even if she did, I'd never share _that shit_ with anybody."

Puck just mumbled out the word bitch... or possibly shit, ruefully before turning onto Santana's street and pulling into her long-ass drive way. "Fine, but you _will_ give me details later, right?" He asked her hopefully as he threw the car into park.

Santana stifled a laugh, "Yeah, sure, one day I will tell you all about Rachel Berry's orgasms." She laughed again without stifling it this time as she got out of the truck and slammed the door.

* * *

Rachel stood at her locker, sorting through her books when a pair of warm hands wrapped around her eyes, blinding her. Of course, she knew those hands very well, so it was no surprise as too who it was behind said hands.

"Good morning, Santana," Rachel greeted her. Santana chuckled and released Rachel so that the smaller girl could turn around. "Did you have a nice... _sleep_?"

Santana chuckled and smirked at her, "Oh, you have no idea."

"Actually, I kind of do," Rachel corrected, a similar smirk on her face that Santana had.

Santana, unable to resist those smirking lips, leaned in to press them together. She pressed her hand to the locker next to Rachel's head, trapping the girl there, and was just brushing her lips against Rachel when-

"Excuse me," a nasally, mousy voice squeaked out.

Santana groaned and turned her head to the side to look over her shoulder. She saw Jacob – Jewfro – standing there clutching that stupid notebook and pen, looking at them expectantly. "The fuck do you want, Jewfro?" Santana growled at him; she was just about to get her mack on with her girl, _come on_!

"Can I ask you ladies a couple questions concerning your relationship?" The mousy boy squeaked again. Santana muttered a 'fuck' under her breath but didn't move towards or away from him. "So, are you two a couple now?"

"Yes, of course!"

"We haven't had that talk yet."

Santana and Rachel both sounded off respectively. They turned to each other and gave the other confused looks.

"What are you talking about, Rachel?" Santana questioned her.

"Well, it's just that we haven't talked about it yet, and I was under the impression that two persons had to talk about the terms of their relationship before one of them just assumes," Rachel rattles off primly.

"Terms? What terms?" Santana was aghast, "The fuck do you mean _terms_?

"Well, are you willing to stay faithful in a, hopefully, long-term, committed relationship?"

Santana was almost hurt that Rachel would even question that. She place her hand to the side of Rachel's cheek and practically whispered, "You know I am. How could you ask that? After-" Santana stopped and looked over her shoulder to see Jewfro still there, furiously writing down every word that was spoken in his stupid, fucking notebook. "Beat it, squirt!" Santana hissed at him, placing her hand on his face and shoving him away. The boys stumbled a bit before running off down the hall. Santana turned back to Rachel and continued, "After what happened last night, and all the trouble I went through... how could you even ask that?"

Rachel looked at her weirdly, "Trouble? I'm trouble?"

Santana began to sputter, realizing her mistake, "No, no! That's not what I meant! I just- well, I-" She stopped and collected herself. "Look, you have to understand, sometimes I say stupid shit; and sometimes I say shit I don't mean; and sometimes I say shit because I don't have any other words for what I _do_ mean. That was like... a combination of all three." Santana smiled at her and placed her hand on Rachel's cheek again, "You could never me trouble to me. Not anymore."

Rachel smiled, blushing a little. "Well... I suppose that, if you really wanted to be with me, you could just ask."

Santana smiled at her, chuckling a little bit. "Rachel..." she began, "will you be my girlfriend?"

Rachel's blush deepened and her smile grew wider. "Yes," she said, nodding furiously. "Yes, of course I will."

Santana smiled more and pulled Rachel into a deep, passionate kiss.

* * *

A/N: Yay! They're finally together! You know what that means, right? _Drama!_

__Oh, PS, writing the Pucktana Bromance scene was probably my favorite part of the chapter, what did you guys think of it? Do you want more Pucktana Bromance?


	12. Chapter 12

Innocence is Only a Perception

Chapter 12

In Glee club, the girls could feel every eyeball there glued to Rachel and Santana's linked hands. It was actually kind of funny, to turn around when the staring became too intense and then watch every member of the club look away suddenly as if they had never been staring in the first place. Of course, as soon as Rachel and Santana would turn back around to face front the staring would begin again.

Mr. Schuester came in in an excited flurry, clapping his hands together to get everyone's attention. "Okay, guys! So, ass you know we had auditions for the male lead in the Nationals competition yesterday. Now, I've deliberated with Rachel about this and we've come to a decision, and-" Rachel interrupted by clearing her throat and raising her hand. "Yes, Rachel?"

"Mr. Schuester, if you don't mind, I'd like to award the honors." Mr. Schue gestured for her to take the floor before standing aside and leaning on the piano. Rachel hopped up from her seat and made her way to the center of the room. "Well, I must say that we had a lot to choose from," Rachel began. "All of you are very talented, and I encourage you all to continue to practice singing-"

"Get on with it!" Kurt yelled from the third row up. The club laughed, even Rachel chuckled a bit because she knew it was a joke.

"Very well then; well... we actually have _two_ winners." The room erupted into surprised gasps and whispered conversations. "For the first winner, we have..." she trailed off to create a dramatic pause before bursting out with, "Noah!" The boy jumped from his chair and did his touchdown dance and only settled in when Mr. Schue told him to calm down. Rachel laughed with the rest of the club before continuing, "You've very talented, Noah, it's about time we let it shine. And now time for our second winner..." Another dramatic pause, "Santana!" Rachel said with a squeal.

Santana jumped from her seat and tackled Rachel into a big hug before pressing a hot kiss to her lips. When she pulled away the girls noticed the club staring at them with their mouths slacking open, an awkward silence was hanging in the room.

Mercedes broke it with a loud, "What the f-"

Of course her curse was drowned out by the rest of the club joining in with their objections.

"This is ridiculous!"

"I cannot believe this!"

"Wait, I thought it was for a _male_ lead."

"Great! More favoritism!"

"I still cannot believe this!"

"Mr. Schuester," Kurt said calmly, holding up a hand to break the commotion, "why Santana? It doesn't seem fair to the other boys who auditioned."

"Well... she auditioned as well, and to be honest, she killed it," was the teacher's reply.

"And why weren't any of the other girls aware they were allowed to audition?" Mercedes said with sass, "Did she get _invited_? Or did she just show up and sing for you?"

"Actually she convinced me to allow her to audition," he replied calmly.

"How?" Brittany asked and suddenly the awkward silence was back. It was strange, she had hardly spoken all week to any of the other members. She and Santana were in their own little world most of the time, so Brittany didn't really bond with anyone else, and when she and Santana broke up she became very introverted and quiet as she sat in the back of the choir room, watching Rachel and Santana laugh and talk like Brittany used to do with the Latina.

"Well..." Mr. Schuester began hesitantly, "she reminded me of Kurt and Blaine's duet at Regionals last year."

"But... we lost," Blaine said, confused as to how this convinced the teacher who wanted to win Nationals so desperately.

"Yes, but-"

"But you lost to _us_," Santana interrupted her teacher. "You lost to _Rachel_. We all know that she is..." Santana glanced over at her girlfriend, a dazed look on her face, "she's amazing-" Rachel's blush made Santana quickly shake the thought away and continue, "and we all know how good the two of us sound together! Just imagine us performing at Nationals! I mean, did we all forget about my solo at Sectionals?" There were nods and murmurs of agreement.

"But we didn't _win_ Sectionals last year, we only tied," Mercedes said petulantly.

Santana could feel the rage building in her, "And how many solos did you have that made us move forward in the competition, Wheezy?"

"Aww nah, bitch! Listen here-" Mercedes began, raising her voice and standing from her seat.

"Mercedes, sit down," Kurt interjected. He didn't even turn around to look at the darker girl, he just sat facing front, staring at the girls at the front of the room. His stoicism seemed to work like a charm as the big girl sat back down without a word more. "Santana is completely right. If we want to win we need our star to sing her best ad have an amazing partner." Santana smiled at that.

"Okay, but what about me? Rachel and I sound fierce together!" Mercedes continued to argue, although with less bite in her words.

"You're right, Mercedes," Rachel finally spoke up, "you and I sound amazing together; it's something that can contend with Santana and I, but the judges aren't just looking for a sound quality, their looking for performers. It's not just about the way you sound, it's how you look as well," Rachel explained to her very carefully, not wanting to upset her again – as sexy as Santana was getting mad and defending Rachel, she thought it might be a little counter-productive right now. "While you and I do sound like Barbra and Aretha singing at the Apollo, Santana and I..." she trailed off, getting the same dazed look as she looked over to Santana, "we have a certain chemistry that just- it can't be faked, even by the best actors and performers in the world."

"It's true, we've all seen it," Blaine said, adding a smile to the girls at the end.

The girls blushed at his comment and turned to look deeply into each other's eyes. Mercedes just huffed, accepting defeat; however, Brittany sat in the back, silently, and felt jealousy as she watched the girls up front.

"Well, I think that now is the perfect time to dismiss all of you. Rachel; Santana; Puck? Could you please bring in songs you think would do well in our set list? And remember, the theme is contemporary, so I'm sorry, Rachel, but no Barbra." The short brunette pouted a little, making Santana giggle at her.

The rest of the club dispersed and left the room to go home. Rachel and Santana stood where they were and just looked at each other for the longest time.

"So, my house today?" Santana asked, running her thumbs over the backs of Rachel's hands.

Rachel nodded, "Yes, I don't think my house is a very safe place for you to be; at least, not when Daddy is home. Unless you _like_ to be looked at like your being judged," Rachel added the last bit with a playful smile.

"No, my house is best. Besides, we're going to be alone, which will be nice. Papi is taking the twins and Marisol to a soccer game in Columbus and won't be back until late tonight," Santana said, an excited smile on her face. "Who knew I'd be judged by a man for dating his daughter, when his husband was standing right next to him?" Santana said, her smile turning playful.

"Hey!" Rachel exclaimed, swatting at her girlfriend's arm and laughing.

"Did you take your own car today?" Santana asks her, wrapping her arms around her girlfriend's waist and pulling her closer. Rachel just nods and makes a noise of affirmation. "Okay, you start driving over to my house and I'll meet you there. I just need to pack up a few extra books from my locker, okay."

Rachel smiles and starts out but is quickly pulled back in and dipped, Santana presses a passionate kiss to her lips before setting a giggling Rachel back upright. She pushes her towards the door with a little smack on her bottom and watches her go; she doesn't take her eyes off of her until Rachel has turned the corner, but not before she throws another bright smile Santana's way. Santana sighed happily before turning around to grab her bag.

"You seem happy with her," Brittany said from the up-most level of the seating area; she hadn't moved when Mr. Schuester dismissed them, she just sat there and watched her ex-girlfriend.

Santana jumped about a foot in the air, "Jesus Christ, Brittany, you scared the shit out of me!"

"Sorry," she said, but she didn't sound like she meant it. "I remember when we were happy like that." She moved to stand up and she began to walk towards Santana. "You remember when we were happy, Tana? Right? You remember all the times we'd lay in your bed and just kiss each other?"

Santana swallowed thickly, "Yeah, I remember, Britt. I also remember you breaking up with me about a week ago. Thanks for that."

"Oh, Tana, I was so stupid!" Brittany exclaimed, wrapping her arms around Santana's shoulders and pulling her towards her. "Please forgive me!"

"No!" Santana almost yelled. She slipped her hands underneath Brittany's arms and pushed her away. "No, I can't forgive you. You _dumped_ me."

"But I want you back! I want things to be back to the way we were, before Rachel ruined everything!" Brittany tried to wrap her arms around Santana again, but Santana was quicker and pushed her away again.

"Brittany, I'm with Rachel now. That's just what you wanted and now I'm happy," Santana tried to move towards the doorway but was stopped by Brittany moving her body in front of hers. "Move, Britt."

"Not until I have you back. I love you, Tana," Brittany leaned in to kiss Santana but Santana just pushed her away.

"Brittany, stop!" She sighed heavily, trying to wrap her head around what was happening. "God! Why don't you get it? I'm with Rachel, and I'm happy with her. If you really loved me you'd just let me _be_ _happy_."

"No, I know I can make you happier," Brittany said in a petulant, childlike voice.

"No, Britt, you can't. You were right about my feelings for Rachel, and you can't stop a bullet that's already been fired."

"You can if you're Superman, though," Brittany said; at first it sounded like one of her thoughts that she would randomly say, but then she continued with, " and I plan on being your Superman."

"No, Britt, _Rachel_ is my Superman. There's nothing you can do to change that," she finished before stepping around her ex and walking towards the door, ignoring everything the blonde behind her was saying.

"I'm gonna have you back, Santana! I will!" Brittany shouted after her.

When the door slammed shut behind Santana Brittany was left on her own... just Like Santana was not a week ago.

* * *

A/N: A jealous Brittany was suggested to me by someone in a review and I thought I'd go with it. I know that she seems a little ooc, but doesn't everyone get that way when their jealous? So, what did you think?


	13. Chapter 13

Innocence is Only a Perception

Chapter 13

When Rachel pulled up to Santana's driveway and didn't immediately see Santana rounding the corner after her, she decided to just wait in her car for the other girl to arrive. As she sat, she began to think about Santana and how lucky she was. After they sang their Whitney duet Rachel had seen a different side of her – a sweeter side; and she liked it... a lot. She had found someone that she could truly trust. Of course, she still had Kurt, and while he was wonderful he didn't really understand what it was like to be a girl, as much as he considered himself to be "one of the girls"; and his gossipy ways made it hard for Rachel to really trust him with any of her secrets, even though she knew that he would never intentionally try to hurt her.

Santana, on the other hand, when she pledged loyalty to someone, would fight to her last breath to defend that person and she would never betray their trust. It was a side that Rachel really admired, because she used the image that she had made up for herself to survive in a small town like Lima, Ohio to make it easier, not just for herself, but for those she loved as well. Rachel was so glad that she got to see a side of Santana that not many other people got to see besides her family and Brittany – although Brittany didn't seem to see much of it anymore. Rachel didn't even think that Quinn got to see the _real Santana._

Rachel glanced at the clock on the dashboard and furrowed her brow. At least fifteen minutes had gone by and Santana still hadn't shown up. Rachel got out of her car and locked it before walking up to the front porch and looking out at the long street, keeping an eye out for Santana's car... but it never came. She stood there for a few minutes, but soon the heat of Ohio's Mid-May got to her and she had to unlock the door of her girlfriend's home with the spare key hidden under the doormat.

Rachel made her way up the stairs and walked down the long hallway at the top level until she arrived at Santana's room. She entered and immediately moved to sit on the bed. She started out sitting in a prim position, her hands clasped together on her lap, her legs thrown over the side of the bed and crossed at the ankles; however, after about five minutes she kicked off her flats and scooted herself up to the head of the bed where she rested against the pillows. Her eyelids began to droop after a few minutes and she was soon in a light sleep.

* * *

Santana arrived home much later than she planned. After what happened with Brittany, Santana needed to have some time to herself before she immediately went to meet Rachel. She opted to turn into the Lima Square when she hit North Main Street and grab dinner for herself and Rachel. She began to let her thoughts take her over after she ordered food for the two of them at Breadstix and was left to wait.

Brittany wanted her back now? Santana's brow furrowed as she continued to try to wrap her head around it. Brittany wanted her back. After everything that she put Santana through, and after Santana had finally accepted her true feelings for Rachel, Brittany wanted her back. Santana tried to think back, and remember what a jealous Brittany was like.

She remembered, back in Middle School, when Santana had just gone "steady" with Puck that Brittany began to press against Santana just a little bit more closely and she began to kiss her cheek just a little longer and just a little nearer her lips. She finally just asked the blonde girl why she was acting that way.

"I don't like the way you act around, Puck," she replied in a calm voice.

"But he's my boyfriend, I'm allowed to act whatever way I want to around him," Santana said, trying to explain to Brittany.

"Then I don't want you to be his girlfriend anymore," she said in a final tone.

Something about the way she said it to Santana made it seem like, if Santana didn't break up with Puck right that moment she would lose her best friend, so Santana walked right up to Puck at Lunch that day and told him they were over. He didn't argue much, he just asked why and Santana just shrugged. She told him that they could still be friends and he agreed, and then Santana walked away.

What Santana took away from this memory was that Brittany got jealous. Behind her innocent personality lay a primal being that only came out when threatened or when something she thought she possessed was threatened. Santana was, apparently, one of Brittany's possessions, and Rachel was threatening that. Brittany was a very straight forward person, that was often overlooked because of her childlike personality and often unintelligent remarks, and she was also a very aggressive person when she saw something – or someone – that she wanted. Brittany wanted Santana.

Back in Middle School, Brittany's aggression didn't have to go much farther than a few overly affectionate kisses and hugs, but that was only because she had her friendship with Santana to hold over the Latina's head. Now, though, there was no friendship between the two former cheerleaders, only animosity. This scared Santana; if Brittany was as aggressive as her personality seemed to hint at, she was afraid of how far the blonde girl might go.

"Santana Lopez?"

Santana looked up from her thoughts when her name was called and made her way over to the counter to pay and take her food. She walked back out to the car and began to drive back to her house. Upon arriving back at the house a lot sooner than she expected – that's what happened when you're lost in your thoughts – Santana realized that she had left Rachel alone at her house for over half an hour. Guilt settled into her stomach as she opened the door of her house.

* * *

Rachel awoke with a start; she jumped into a sitting position and looked around the room to figure out what woke her. She heard a rustling coming from downstairs and she jumped up from the bed and walked down the hall to investigate. She walked down the steps a bit before leaning over the banister and peering into the kitchen. When she caught a flash of raven colored hair Rachel's face broke out into a bright smile before she ran the rest of the way down the stairs. She practically skipped into the kitchen before tackling the girl from behind, wrapping her arms around her waist and putting all of her weight on her back so she had to lean forward to balance them out and didn't fall.

Rachel let go, giggling at the "oof" Santana let out at the impact. "Why are you so late?" She asked. "I thought you were right behind me. I actually fell asleep on your bed waiting for you."

"Oh, baby, I'm sorry, I had to make a detour to Breadstix. I picked up dinner," she explained, turning around to face Rachel and gesturing to the food still sitting in the bag on the island table. Just then Rachel's stomach growled loudly and the girl just looked at each other and laughed. "Come on," Santana said through her laughter, "let's get some food in you." Santana leads Rachel around the island by placing her hand on the small of her back and pulls out a barstool for her to sit on.

Rachel pulled the bag of food towards her and began to pull everything out. Santana got down two plates and a couple of forks and knives, handing them to Rachel so she could serve them up.

"Oh, I got you that whole grain Spaghetti with no meatballs and a Caesar salad with no chicken or cheese on it. I got Lasagna and a salad as well, but I got the cheese and chicken on it. I don't want you mixing them up," Santana added just as she was returning to the island and placed two glasses on the surface. "Do you want Sweet Tea? It's homemade."

"That sounds wonderful, Santana. Thank you for getting dinner," Rachel said, looking up only briefly to smile at Santana before looking back down at the food she was spooning out onto the plates.

"It's no problem, Rachel. I didn't want you to have to cook again, so I figured I'd just spend a little bit of money to make it easier on you. I'm sorry I left you here so long, though," Santana's stomach twisted with guilt, but she tried not to let it show on her face. She knew that she wasn't this late because of Breadstix's slow waitstaff, it was also because of Brittany, and she hoped that Rachel didn't ask what happened, because Santana really didn't want to lie to Rachel; she just couldn't tell the truth, she didn't want to scare Rachel.

"Well, it was very sweet of you, so thank you," Rachel said, pulling Santana over to place a gentle peck on her lips. She slid the plate of Lasagna over to her girlfriend while Santana filled Rachel's glass with tea.

The girls settled in and began their meal in silence, the only sounds were forks scraping against plates and the slurping of pasta. Rachel wanted to ask what took her so long, but she felt as though it was something Santana needed to tell her herself. Rachel knew that it wasn't all because of the Breadstix waitstaff that Santana was late, but being pushy would only lead to a fight, and Rachel was tired of fighting. She just wanted to curl up on the couch with Santana and watch a movie with her.

"Do you want to watch a movie later?" Rachel asked as she was scooping up the last of her pasta onto her fork.

"Umm... yeah, sure. When you finish just go ahead and pick something out," Santana said, hardly looking up from the food she was pushing around on her plate.

The scraping was grating on Rachel's nerves and she grabbed Santana's hand to get her to stop. The Latina looked up at her, surprised and startled by Rachel's actions. Rachel's face softened and she brought the hand in her own up to her lips to kiss it before setting it back down.

"You know you can tell me anything, right?" Rachel said, trying to be as earnest as she could.

Santana looked down, a guilty look passing across her face. "I know," she mumbled, her eyes still downcast, "and I will tell you everything, I just... I need to wrap my head around it before I can explain it."

Rachel gave her a small smile, one that showed how pleased she was with the answer she was given, but also to show that she supported her girlfriend. "Okay..."

Rachel moved to pick up her dishes but Santana said, "Leave them, I'll get them. You just go pick out a movie." rachel nodded and moved into the living room to browse through the vast collection of movies the Lopez's owned. Santana, still in the kitchen, scrapped the rest of her food into the sink and and pushed it down the garbage disposal before putting all of the dishes into the dishwasher.

Rachel looked back at her girlfriend briefly before looking back at the expansive shelves of movies in the Lopez entertainment nook. As she thumbed through about twenty DVDs a smile spread across her face as she pulled out one of her favorites. Rachel closed the door to hide away the rest of the DVDs and met Santana at the side of the couch, handing her the box.

"This one?" Santana asked incredulously as she stared down at the DVD of _'Mr and Mrs Smith'_.

"Yes. That one. Oh, do you not like that one? I can choose a different one if you like," Rachel rambled on.

Santana smiled at her, "No, this one is fine, you just... You're just full of surprises."

Rachel lets out an amused laugh, "I plan to _always_ surprise you."

Santana leans in close to her and presses her lips to Rachel's in a brief, tender kiss before pulling away. "If you don't mind, I'm going to go change, these jeans aren't the most comfortable thing to watch a movie in," she says, gesturing to her attire of skin-tight jeans and a tight shirt.

"Of course, I'll just set up the movie and wait for you on the couch," Rachel says. She presses her lips to Santana's as well and then moves back to the entertainment nook, pulling away the sliding door that hides the TV and DVD player.

When Santana gets upstairs to her room she quickly slides out of her skin-tight jeans and slides on a pair of her tiny, black shorts that say _Cheerios_ in red on the butt over her lacy underwear. She then replaces the itchy, tight shirt with one of her workout shirts – a white, v-neck tee. When she arrives back downstairs she sees Rachel sitting on the couch waiting patiently, fiddling with the remote while the DVD menu plays it's background noise.

"Hey," she says, walking over to the couch and sitting down next to Rachel. "I'm sorry," she apologizes. Rachel's brow furrows. "I"m sorry for keeping you waiting."

Rachel just looks at her, expressionless, and reaches out for her. "Come here," she orders; Santana can only obey as she lays her body against Rachel's. "Don't worry about me, darling," she says. "I don't mind waiting for you, because I know that you will always come back to me." Santana smiles, biting her lip and trying not to let the tears in her eyes show; she thinks she's doing a pretty bad job though, but if she is Rachel doesn't say anything to indicate that she does.

Santana clears her throat and takes the remote from Rachel. "How about we watch this now? I'm excited to see Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie go at it," she says with a chuckle.

"I can't tell if you're talking about them fighting or them having sex," Rachel says just as Santana presses play, and her girlfriend's response is a suggestive waggle of her eyebrows.

About ten minutes into the movie the girls end up sprawled across the couch, with Rachel laying her head on a pillow and Santana behind her with her arms wrapping around Rachel's torso and her head laying on the arm of the couch so she can see over Rachel's head. When the infamous sex scene comes up Santana can feel Rachel's body temperature raise about 2 degrees and her heartbeat begin to quicken against the hand laying just under her bust line.

As soon as the realization crossed Santana's mind she leaned into Rachel and husked out against Rachel's ear, "Is this turning you on?"

"It's Brad and Angelina having sex; who wouldn't be turned on?" Rachel says nonchalantly.

Santana smirks against Rachel's cheek and presses a hot kiss there. She pulls her earlobe in between her teeth and pulls her closer, making Rachel gasp. "So it's not me? Pity."

Rachel lets out a shaky sigh before responding with an equally shaky, "Y-you could make it... y-you..."

Santana smirks again. "I think I will." And with that Rachel is flipped underneath Santana and Santana is hovering above her, supporting herself by her arm on the pillow just above Rachel's head. She runs her pointer finger of her free hand down the seam on the side of Rachel's sweater before balling the end of it into her fist. "Off," she commands, and Rachel obeys by lifting her torso off the couch and allowing Santana to support her with a hand on the small of her back as she practically tears her sweater and the cami she wore under it off of her body, flinging it elsewhere and falling back down with a gasp.

Santana eagerly presses her mouth to Rachel's collarbone; she sucks and nips and then licks the skin soothingly before repeating again and again until a dark mark appears there. Santana's hands find Rachel's waist and she forces them to stay there, remembering her promise to Rachel not to move too quickly unless told to. Rachel, sensing Santana's restraint, takes it upon herself to reach behind her and unclasp her bra before pulling it off of her body and tossing it in the same direction as her sweater and cami.

"Rachel..." Santana says in a breathy, almost amazed voice, as she stares down at her naked, exposed chest. "God... you're so beautiful!" Her mouth descends on Rachel in the next moment, pressing hot kisses and teasing nips and soothing licks to the area surrounding her nipples. Her left hand, her free one, takes the full swell of Rachel's left breast in her hand and begins to knead it while her mouth works over her right one.

"Oh! Oh... God!" Rachel gasps out, her right hand tangling in Santana's jet black hair while her left is pinned by her weight. Santana moans as her mouth engulfs the nipple she was just working around, sending a chill through Rachel's body at the vibration. "Santana... more... Please!"

Santana stops and looks up at Rachel. Her face is twisted into a look of ecstasy and a sweat has broken out over her brow, dripping down her forehead and down her cheeks, her bangs and the fine hairs at the sides of her face sticking to her flushed skin. "Rachel..." Santana rasps out, "do you- are you sure?"

Rachel's eyes open and her face tilts downward, the look of pure ecstasy never leaving her features. She blinks at her once... twice, before letting out a sigh and a soft "Mmm-hmm," sound. "Please," she breathes.

Santana runs her left hand down from Rachel's bosom and down her abs – they clench as her fingers catch the skin there – and her fingers slide across the top of the skirt until the find the zipper on the side. She pulls it down slowly until it gapes open, making it easy to then slide the skirt down to Rachel's knees where she can kick it off. Santana looks down at her exposed girlfriend and takes in a shaky breath to calm herself before she can continue.

Rachel's right hand grips Santana's waist and flicks the band of her shorts and mimics the commanding voice Santana had used on her to say, "Off." Santana obeys, pushing the shorts down – with Rachel's help – until she can kick them off.

"So demanding..." Santana mumbles against Rachel's neck between the bites and licks she places there.

"I didn't- Ah!" Rachel stops when a particularly hard bite makes her exclaim. "I didn't hear you complaining before."

Santana smirks, "I never was." Her right hand then moves from Rachel's bare hip to cup her sex through her tiny, pink and red striped underwear, making Rachel gasp at the contact. "God..." she moans, her breathing becoming even more labored. "You're so wet. All for me?"

"_Yeeeees_," Rachel lets out in a long, low moan. "All for you. Please," she gasps as Santana runs her fingertips across the plane of her covered sex.

Santana straddles Rachel's thigh and uses the new leverage to lift onto her knees and pull down Rachel's panties until they are obstructed by Santana's own legs. The sight of Rachel's dripping pussy makes Santana let out this sound of pleasure that's a cross between a squeak and a moan. She falls back down on top of Rachel and attaches her mouth to the side of Rachel's neck again, whispering, "Beautiful... So beautiful..." Rachel's hips lift, silently telling Santana that she's ready and Santana just look into Rachel's eyes and asks, "Are you sure?"

The earnestness in Santana's voice could have made Rachel cry, but instead she just nods her head and lifts her hips again. Santana pushes at Rachel's outer leg to get her to widen as much as the panties around her thighs will allow. She then ran just the very tips of her fingers over the soft skin of Rachel's inner thighs until stopping just before the outer lips of her center. She ghosted her hand over top, feeling the heat radiating from it and trying hard to be gentle and not just dive in. Rachel deserved to be made love to not just fucked.

"Santana..." Rachel whined, "please! I'm begging you."

Santana snapped, her fingers plunging into Rachel's depths, causing the smaller girl to moan out loudly and buck her hips. Rachel's hand gripped Santana's waist as a means to steady herself while sensually rolling her hips against Santana's slowly moving fingers. Her hand slid upwards, raising Santana's white shirt until it was just below her bust line, exposing plenty of skin for Rachel to slide her fingers across.

Santana leaned down to kiss Rachel gently before her fingers sheathed themselves completely into Rachel's tight heat. Rachel's hips bucked and her hand snapped to Santana's shoulder, causing the Latina to stop all her movements.

"What? Did I-" Santana stopped to look into Rachel's eyes, she stared back down at her with a bit of fear evident. "Did I hurt you?"

"No," Rachel sighed. "No, you just... surprised me, that's all. Please... don't stop."

Rachel pressed her lips to Santana's in a passionate kiss as they started to move together again. Santana moved her fingers in and out of Rachel at a steady pace, curling them every third stroke in, and flicking her thumb against Rachel's clit every time she would pull out. Rachel hips would move with Santana's fingers, never going any faster or slower than the pace that the Latina set.

Their breaths mingled as they kissed. Their lips slid together tenderly and their tongues battled inside their mouths. They didn't battled for dominance, though; they battled just to battle. To feel the other against them as they moved.

Rachel's right hand pressed against the side of Santana's neck, her fingers tangling in the small hairs that the nape of the Latina's neck. She pressed, making sure that Santana couldn't move away from their hot kiss, but Santana couldn't – she was stuck to Rachel, even if the small hand wasn't there keeping her in place.

Sweat dripped down their writhing bodies. It collected in the space between them until pooling and dripping down Rachel's naked sides. Their hair stuck to themselves and each other; against their foreheads and necks, their cheeks. As it dripped down Rachel's body, it collected again against the soft fabric of the couch beneath them, forming a wet mark, an imprint of their entangled bodies.

Rachel could feel the fire being stoked in her belly. She could feel the coil inside of her beginning to tighten and twist. Rachel could feel herself preparing to explode. With every steady, rhythmic stroke of Santana's fingers, with every slip of her hot tongue, and with every slide of her lips Rachel could feel herself being pushed to the brink of ecstasy. He hips began to buck, breaking the rhythm Santana had set and making her adjust the pace of her fingers.

"Oh, Santana," Rachel moaned into the kiss. Santana's response was an increase in the pace of her fingers and her teeth scraping along Rachel's bottom lips, catching it between them. "Ohhhh!" Rachel moaned loudly. The fingers of her right hand tangling further into the raven tresses of Santana's hair and her left hand, that had been pulled out from under the girl's weight, wrapped around her back, her nails digging into the skin beneath her shirt.

Santana released Rachel's lip and buried her face in the smaller girl's neck, her fingers beginning a rapid, almost bruising pace. Rachel's hips bucked, her cries began to raise, her fingers tightened around shirt and hair. This was it.

"Oh! Yes! _Santanaaaaaaaa!_" Rachel bellowed. Her hands were in fists and if Santana weren't enjoying herself so much she might be in pain from having her hair pulled like it was. Rachel was bowed, her hips and back were lifted completely off the couch, the only support were her shoulders and her feet.

Santana continued to thrust her fingers into Rachel's tight hole until the inner walls slowed their fluttering and she only removed them when they came to a full and complete stop. Rachel – and by effect, Santana, who was lifted by Rachel's raised leg – collapsed against the couch with a sigh.

"Oh my- That was-" Rachel couldn't find the words.

"Beautiful," Santana said for her. "You were so beautiful."

"Actually, I would have said that it was incredibly hot and sexy, but I'll take that compliment, thank you very much," Rachel said with a giggle. Santana only smiled, biting her lip as she stared down at her girlfriend. "I'm sorry, did you want to-"

"No. No, it's fine, Rachel. I can tell that you're tired," Santana soothed Rachel by tenderly stroking the side of her face. "I know that you'll pay me back later," she winked down at her.

"Oh, you know I will," Rachel said with a wink back. "Can we... go up to your room to take a quick nap? I have to go back to my house in about an hour, but I don't want to leave yet."

"Of course," Santana said. She lifted herself off of Rachel and landed next to the couch on shaky legs. When she got her bearing she looked back to rachel and took in her naked, debauched form. Sweaty, with her hair sticking to her; flushed cheeks and chest; lips swollen and hair mussed; her chest heaving with every breath she took. She was so-

"Beautiful," Santana said out loud, not meaning to.

"You said that already," Rachel quipped as she pulled her panties up and righted them and sat down on the couch with her legs swung over the edge.

Santana blushed, ducking her head and picking up Rachel's discarded sweater and cami and her own shorts. "Sorry," she said, handing Rachel her clothes. "It's just... it's hard not to say it. You are- so beautiful."

Rachel's cheeks flushed more – if that was even possible – as she took her clothes and mumbled, "Thank you," whether for the clothes or the compliment or both, Santana didn't know – nor did she really care.

"You go upstairs and get into my bed, I'll be right up, I'm just gonna grab some water bottles," Santana said helping Rachel up and catching her as she stumbled.

"Okay, but don't make me wait _too_ long, Ms. Lopez. I want my pot-coitus cuddling," Rachel said with a smirk. She giggled as Santana rolled her eyes and smacked her butt, sending her on her way upstairs, picking up her discarded skirt along the way.

Santana didn't move or say a word after that, she just stood there and watched her girlfriend walk up the stairs and go into her room. Only when she was out of sight did Santana turn into the kitchen and grab the water bottles she promised before making her way back up to her room.

* * *

A/N: Surprise! Smut! Actually, that was my very first straight-up femslash (lol, see what I did there?) so, tell me what did you think how did I do?

Also, if yo'd like to see the visual/inspiration for the smut- luckypressure (dot) tumblr (dot) com/post/16982300221/couch-nsfw

Believe me when I say YOU ARE WELCOME!


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